row color formatting lost going from 2007 to 2003

[goplayoutside]

I have an Excel 2007 spreadhseet with several rows highlighted in different
colors for different reasons. I saved it down to 2003; however, when someone
else opens the file in 2003, all the color formatting is gone.

Since our office is slowly transitioning from 2003 to 2007, this could
potentially cause problems for 6 months or more. Is this something we will
have to work around or is there a fix?

Thank you! and thanks for the time you put into answering these questions.

 

[Bernard Liengme]

I think it has to do with how you add the conditional formatting.
I enters some numbers
Use CF and the New Rule dialog where I used =A1>+4....yellow fill.
This operation most closely resembles the older XL method
Save the file as xls (Excel 97/2003 version)
Got a warning about "some CF may be lost....."
Open file in Xl2003 and the formatting (yellow cells) was where I expected
it.
Try to repeat this and tell us what happens.

OR
Download the compatibility utility and install on coworkers PCs.
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/products/HA101686761033.aspx

Save your files as XL2007 format (xlsx) and let coworkers convert them on
opening

best wishes