Can you convert an older document to the new file format? Naturally. With the document open in Word 2007, you just click the Microsoft Office Button, then click the Convert command on the menu.

This conversion gives you the benefits of the new format (helps make files smaller, more secure, and so on) and also the new features in their full, undiminished fashion. For example, you will have all of those choices that you saw in the Choose a SmartArt Graphic box, not the smaller set.

Note   If you have Windows configured to show file extensions, the file name changes from My Document.doc to My Document.docx. The "x" stands for XML.