[J. Cramer]

We have been testing using embedded Excel worksheets in MS Word documents.
What we have found, is that files embedded in the newer version cannot be
edited on the older version, even if they are saved in compatibility mode.
The reason appears to be that Microsoft Office 2007 or 2008 is only capable
of embedding an Excel 2007/2008 workbook into a word document. It is able to
save files as 2003/2004 formats but is not able to embed them in that format.
The result is that files embedded using 2007 or 2008 will not be editable in
earlier versions, even though they can be viewed.

These are the results I found when testing several combinations and scenarios:

- I found no problem between the following pairs: 2003 (PC) and
2004(Mac) work fine together and 2007 (PC) and 2008 (Mac) work together fine
as well.
- Files created in 2003 and 2004 with embedded workbooks can be
edited in 2003, 2004, 2007, and 2008.
- Embedded workbooks created in 2007 and 2008 versions can only be
edited in versions 2007 and 2008.
- Saving a 2007/2008 document in compatibility mode allows the
document to be edited in 2003/2004 but the embedded document still cannot be
edited.
- Installing the compatibility pack for office 2003 helps open
version 2007 or 2008 format files but it does not allow embedded documents in
those files to be edited.

Has anyone else tested this and if so, were your results the same?

Also I would like to know if anyone is aware of Microsoft changing this
functinoality in future patches.