I am guessing by now that we have all heard about Open XML document. In case you haven't, Open XML format enables interoperability and choice in the documents space through the power of XML and helps to unlock data in documents and allowing integration to front and back office processes. This file format will provide significant opportunities for independent software vendors to create high-value applications. Microsoft has increasingly implemented XML-based formats in successive releases of Office. With Office 2007, the default file formats for Word, Excel and PowerPoint are now based on Open XML, which is also supported in Office 2003, Office XP and Office 2000 through a free update. ECMA International, http://www.ecma-international.org/ has submitted OOXML format to ISO to ISO for ratification as a standard.

A 3-Day Open XML training is scheduled for the last week of May targeting developers. The intention of the training is to help developers in taking advantage of the capabilities of Open XML in their applications and in integration to Office 2007 systems.

Please drop me an email if you want to attend this training and I will update with the venue details.

See the capabilities of OOXML in Channel 9 video: Real-World Open XML and Ribbon Customization: Using Microsoft Office Word 2007 to Modify Mindjet MindManager Maps http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=281452#281452

More on OOXML in Open XML Community Online