Open formats are becoming increasingly more important when publishing content at Public Health England.
In this blog post, we will look at:
- what open formats are, and what they mean to you
- why we are moving away from formats like Microsoft Word and Excel documents (.doc and .xls)
- how you can get started using open formats
What are open formats?
Open formats are file types that can be accessed by everyone, no matter what their requirements.
These file types are:
- suitable to be edited and saved in many different programs, not just Microsoft Office Suite
- compatible with accessibility software, such as screen readers
- easy to access on multiple devices
Why do we need to use them?
We need to use open formats in order to be legally complaint with the Open Standards set out by the Cabinet Office.
Most workplaces use software such as Microsoft Word, Excel and Adobe Acrobat to create and share files.
But the 'automatic' formats that come with this software, such as Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet (XLS) format, carry some disadvantages.
If we use
But how does this relate to the content that we publish on a day to day basis at Public Health England?
Working within government, you have probably heard more and more talk about 'open formats' and Open Standards recently.
But what does this mean, and how does it relate to your work?
At Public Health England, we have a legal requirement to make sure that everyone can access and read the materials that we publish.
This includes everything from guidance documents to research papers, statistical commentary to policy papers.
What are open formats?
Open formats are