i am having trouble converting works files into excel files. i have tried opening in excel and then saving as .xls but when i look for .wks in the "files of type" box i see .wks but it will not open. is there any 3rd party software that can easily convert different files like these. thanks in advance

since you are using Windows XP as your OS, using office XP too? i only have first-hand knowledge doing this in excel 97.. which is covered at Works: How to Import and Export Works Databases to Excel 97 by microsoft. something else you could try... if you have access to works, try checking the "save as" option while it's loaded up. i do use works currently so sorry that i am not too helpful.

Shortest way is convert them in csv files or text and next import them in excel.

Also, when did you last check the Office Updates site, for any conversion patches?

"but when i look for .wks in the "files of type" box i see .wks but it will not open." -- That is because "wks" is "LOTUS 123" format. ---------- Microsoft Excel 2000 Microsoft Excel can open Microsoft Works files saved in the Microsoft Works 2.0 (or earlier) format. To open Microsoft Works 3.0 or 4.0 files in Microsoft Excel, you must first save them in a compatible file format. Save in a compatible file format If you want to open a file saved from Microsoft Works 3.0 or 4.0 in Microsoft Excel versions 5.0 and later, the file must first be saved in a compatible file format. To do this in Microsoft Works for Windows version 3.0, follow these steps: 1.Open the file in Microsoft Works 3.0. 2.Click Save As on the File menu. 3.From the Save File As Type list, select one of the following file formats: Works for Windows 2.0 (WKS) Excel 4.0/5.0 (XLS) Lotus 1-2-3 (WK1) The file format you choose depends on what you want to do with the file after opening it in Excel; for instance, if you want to continue to work on the file in Excel, choose the Excel 4.0/5.0 (XLS) format. If you want to re-open the file in Works, however, select the Works for Windows 2.0 (WKS) format. 4.Click OK to save the file in the new format. 5.Close the file before you attempt to open it in Microsoft Excel. Open a Microsoft Works file in Excel To open a Microsoft Works file in Excel, follow these steps: 1.Click Open on the File menu. 2.In the Look in list, click the drive or folder that contains the file you want to open, and then locate the folder that contains the file. 3.In the Files of type list, click the appropriate file type for example, Microsoft Works 2.0 Files (*.wks). Or, if you followed the directions above and saved the file in either a Microsoft Excel file format or Lotus 1-2-3 file format, click Microsoft Excel Files (*.xl*;*.xls;*.xla;*.xlt;*.*.xlm; *.xlc;) or Lotus 1-2-3 Files (*.wk?). 4.Double-click the file you want to open.

So i guess this means if I have 100's of .wks spreadsheets that I want to manipulate in excel I am better off buying a copy of ms works? I wish i had the time to convert each file manually!! What kind of scam is this that MS won't allow us to open documents created by THEIR OWN software in excel? Surely if there was a will it would be a joke for MS to write a quick patch to excel so that it does open works spreadsheets...