...
| Document type | Closed format | Open format alternative |
|---|---|---|
Report, policy paper, guidance | Microsoft Word document (DOC) | OpenDocument Text (.ODT) HTML document attachment |
Spreadsheet Database | Microsoft Excel spreadsheet (XLS) | OpenDocument Spreadsheet (ODS) Comma Separated Values file (CSV) |
Presentation | Microsoft Powerpoint (PPT) | Open Document Format (ODF) |
But what if my audience expects the document in a familar format?
Open formats usually open correctly in multiple software programs or internet browsers.
For this reason, we find it is not usually an issue for GOV.UK users to receive a document in an open format, instead of Word or Excel.
This is confirmed by user research from the Government Digital Service (GDS).