What you need to know about open formats

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 open 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 switch to open formats?

We need to use open formats in order to be legally complaint with the Open Standards set out by the Cabinet Office.

Because most workplaces use software such as Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat, we get used to saving files in certain formats.

But formats such as Microsoft Word documents (.DOC) and PDFs, have some disadvantages.

These 'closed' file types are:

• difficult to access for users with accessibility requirements, such as partially-sighted users
• incompatible with certain software, or older versions of Office Suite
• difficult to share effectively between government departments

For this reason, we need to either use an open format, or provide an open format alternative for the users who require it.

How do I save my document in an open format?

You do not need any special software to save your document in an open format. 

Software such as Microsoft Office Suite, will 'automatically' save your document in a closed format like Excel Spreadsheet (.XLS).

But you have the option to save in an open format alternative using the Save as... drop down menu.

For example, OpenDocument Spreadsheet (ODS format) is an open format that can be used for most spreadsheets.

Example: Saving a document as an open format using Microsoft Excel

Go to Save as...

If you click on Save as type, you can select between different formats.

You could save your document as:

• OpenDocument Spreadsheet (ods) - this is suitable for most spreadsheets
• CSV file (csv) - this is used for tabular data or databases

Then you can share, upload and email the document just as you would with a closed format document.

Which open format should I use?

There is an open format equivalent to most of the familar file types.

Please see below for examples.