| You do this: | Excel does this: | Further action to take: |
|---|---|---|
| You open a workbook that was created with Excel 97-2003 | *Excel opens the workbook in compatibility mode and keeps it in Excel 97-2003 file format (*.xls) | Keep working in compatibility mode if you’re sharing the workbook with people who don’t have Excel 2016. **If you’re not sharing the workbook, convert it to the Excel 2007-2016 file format (*.xlsx) to take advantage of Excel 2016 features (Using the Backstage View) |
| You save your workbook as an Excel 2016 file | Excel saves the workbook in the Excel 2007-2016 file format (*.xlsx) so you can take advantage of Excel 2016 features. | If you plan to share this workbook with people who use an earlier version of Excel, check the workbook for compatibility issues(click File>Info>Check for issues |
| You save your workbook as an Excel 97-2003 file. | Excel automatically checks the file for compatibility issues and shows them for any new Excel 2016 features you used. | Assess any compatibility issues and resolve them before you share the workbook |