Openoffice vs Microsoft office - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

chellawson · Senior Member

Openoffice vs Microsoft office

semsley · Guru

Don't know about compatibility with Sage 2010 but Open Office SS is compatible with Excel provided you save it as an .xls file type rather than an .ods.

You will find it a little different, I had to use it before I got my Mac sorted out with windows 'cos I had MS Office on Mac and downloaded Open Office on windows with Sage - now I've got Windows Parallel so can have windows open as a virtual something or other on the Mac.

One thing I hated was it seemed impossible to move a single cell on the spreadsheet. Could move a block or even just 2 but one it would not do.

Also some of the feature - headers and footers come to mind - are in different menus from on Excel.

But on the whole it works fine and provided you remember to save to the correct file type is interchangeable with Excel.

chellawson · Senior Member

Semley

Thank you for your advice I will try to remember to save it as xls, will have to play around with it and see how I get on might end up getting Office eventually.

Michelle

Shamus · Forum Moderator & Expert

Hi Michelle,

If you do go to office get office 2003 while you still can as Excel is soooo much better than this twaddle for financial tourists that comes with office 2007. (guess whose having one of those "it used to be so much easier" type days).

Shaun.

semsley · Guru

Shaun
I'm even more of a dinosaur I like Office 2000 it doesn't try to do things for you that you don't want to do.

I hate the task panes. In fact I don't know why they keep on "improving" it (well I do actually it's to make more money).

I used to teach microsoft office (amongst other things) and it was a nightmare having to re-do the handouts each time they changed the version.

The other thing I don't like about 2007 is that if you don't remember to save the documents without the x on the file type you can't open them in earlier versions this is the first time there has been that type of problem with office.

As I use clients' systems I currently have to use anything from 1997 to 2007 and the 2007 is on a Mac. At least it keeps my brain active which is what I need at my age.

chellawson · Senior Member

I had heard that 2007 wasn't that great so I will take your advice and go for 2003.

I'm trying to do my performance indicators and ratios using open office, but am having a bit of trouble getting it to divided I'm using / but it keeps coming up with #DIV/0!
Any ideas? Percentages are also becoming a bit of a problem too.

Any advice would be great.

Michelle

semsley · Guru

Do you have an empty cell because it looks like it is trying to divide by 0? To check if this is the problem put any old figure in the cell and see if this solves the problem.

Take a look here if you have problems

http://user.services.openoffice.org/en/forum

-- Edited by semsley on Tuesday 19th of January 2010 09:32:18 PM

Brewsie · Veteran Member

I use Office 2007, and I wouldn't want to go back. Yes it takes a short time to get used to the new menus, but after a few days you are fine.

Remember that Office 2010 is in beta and will be released soon. I'm not sure I would want to spend my money on 2003 which will soon be 2 versions behind.

chellawson · Senior Member

I have found the problem. I was only putting in all the formulas so when it came to putting the / formulas in it had nothing to divide. Once I started putting in the figures it all work out.

Thank you for your help.

Michelle

chellawson · Senior Member

I know have some =SUMIF formulas but cant seem to get them to work as they are for excel and not openoffice calc. Has anyone any ideas??

I want to do a purchase ledger, so it would be total, less vat figure, then the net figure in a separate column.

Ive been playing with this all weekend and searching the internet but cant find anything.

Thanks again

Michelle