Setting the default file format for saving

From NeoWiki

If you are using NeoOffice in a mixed environment where not all machines are equipped with software that is able to read OpenDocument files, you may wish to change the default format for saving files to Microsoft Office formats (or something else), as these are almost ubiquitous.

Note, however, that when saving files in other than NeoOffice's native OpenDocument formats, formatting may be lost; it is always best to save in the native format and then use Save As… to produce a copy in non-native formats.

However, if you still wish to make NeoOffice default to saving in a non-native format, follow these steps:

• Choose Preferences from the NeoOffice menu. You will get a window with all sorts of options.
• Expand the Load/Save item and choose General. At the bottom you will find a heading called Default file format.
• Set the Text document to "Microsoft Word 97/2000/XP" (or your desired format) and do the same, mutatis mutandis, for spreadsheet and presentation documents.

  Note that NeoOffice has the best export fidelity for formats listed at the top of the list of formats, and compatibility declines rapidly after the first few items. For exchanging documents with Microsoft Office users, the 97/2000/XP document formats offer the best compatibility.

If you only need to save in another format occasionally, you would do better to select a different format in the "Save As" dialog instead of changing the default file format away from NeoOffice's native formats.

See also Improving Compatibility with Microsoft Office for additional tips on exchanging documents with Microsoft Office users.