which Microsoft Office 365 for Mac should I be buying?

[Blackpuddin]

I use Excel literally once a year to prepare the company books for my accountant. Went to open last year's Excel doc in the usual manner to use it as a template for this year's accounts, only to see it open not in Excel but Numbers, Mac's Excel-u-like app.
Apparently my old Excel is no longer functional, and I can't use Numbers as the accountant is PC-only.
It appears I will need to get Microsoft Office 365 for Mac. Could a PH IT type tell me which of the many versions (Home, Personal, Home & Business, Professional, Amateur Fool etc etc) would be best for me? Given my usage needs, I would prefer to do an outright purchase rather than go down any subscription route.
Thanks in advance for any advice.

[rolando]

You can export Numbers files to Excel.

Edited to add:
No need to line Microsoft's pockets!

[Blackpuddin]

rolando said:

You can export Numbers files to Excel.

Edited to add:
No need to line Microsoft's pockets!

I did think that must surely be possible and I sent the Numbers file to my accountant with that in mind to see if she could open it in Excel but all it did was put her in a right tizz. She's a nice lady but she's about a thousand years old and up to her earholes in late returns at the moment. I'll have a go at exporting the file at my end and explain it to her when she's a bit less fraught. Thanks.

[mw88]

As above, you can export to Excel from Numbers.

If you've got some special formatting/fonts, it might not export those but other than that, it's unlikely she'll notice it's from Numbers!

[Blackpuddin]

I'm no spring chicken myself but even I can handle that! Thanks folks, always grateful for the help on here.

[Murph7355]

The formatting may well send her in a tizz too

If you do end up needing Excel, don't bother with 365. Just buy a standalone version of Office. You can get legit license keys for not much money and it'll last a long time before it needs upgrading.

[camel_landy]

Alternatively, there's LibreOffice.

TBH - I quite like using the MS Office products but I do object to having an O365 "Subscription". This is fine for most things but I can't find a standalone version of Outlook, Thunderbird is OK but the formatting tools are a bit naff.

M

[toohuge]

If it absolutely must be excel and your usage is once a year.... create a microsoft account and use the online version of excel for free

[Blackpuddin]

Murph7355 said:

The formatting may well send her in a tizz too

Is there some corruption involved in exporting a Numbers doc to Excel? I wouldn't want to do that to the old dear, her Amstrad (or whatever ancient PC she uses) might explode.

[Blackpuddin]

toohuge said:

If it absolutely must be excel and your usage is once a year.... create a microsoft account and use the online version of excel for free

It does have to be Excel for the accountant. The thought of signing up for a Microsoft account fills me with dread.

[Taita]

Can you right click on your existing Excel file and see if you have an Open With -> Excel (rather than Numbers) option?

eg your old Excel should be there and I don't know of anything where it would just 'stop working'

[Blackpuddin]

Taita said:

Can you right click on your existing Excel file and see if you have an Open With -> Excel (rather than Numbers) option?

Don't have right-clicking on Macs but will have a fiddle about with the various option keys and revert, thanks for the suggestion!
ETA: sadly not, if I try Open With I get the same dialogue box telling me that Excel needs to be updated and that I can get the latest version, Microsoft Office 365, from the App Store. That's after I've asked it to include non-recommended apps in the Open With command. If I don't do that Excel is greyed out and inactive.

Edited by Blackpuddin on Friday 7th January 11:41

[Captain_Morgan]

Blackpuddin said:

Don't have right-clicking on Macs but will have a fiddle about with the various option keys and revert, thanks for the suggestion!
ETA: sadly not, if I try Open With I get the same dialogue box telling me that Excel needs to be updated and that I can get the latest version, Microsoft Office 365, from the App Store. That's after I've asked it to include non-recommended apps in the Open With command. If I don't do that Excel is greyed out and inactive.

Edited by Blackpuddin on Friday 7th January 11:41

Err right click on Mac is actually a thing…

https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/right-click-3610...

[Blackpuddin]

Captain_Morgan said:

Blackpuddin said:

Don't have right-clicking on Macs but will have a fiddle about with the various option keys and revert, thanks for the suggestion!
ETA: sadly not, if I try Open With I get the same dialogue box telling me that Excel needs to be updated and that I can get the latest version, Microsoft Office 365, from the App Store. That's after I've asked it to include non-recommended apps in the Open With command. If I don't do that Excel is greyed out and inactive.

Edited by Blackpuddin on Friday 7th January 11:41

Err right click on Mac is actually a thing…

https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/right-click-3610...

First I've heard of it! Mind you I'm about as close to being a 'power user' as Fred Flintstone was to Albert Einstein.

[LeadFarmer]

Blackpuddin said:

Don't have right-clicking on Macs

MacBooks just need a two finger click on the trackpad.

[mmm-five]

What version of Excel do you have installed (that doesn't work anymore)?

Have you updated to a newer MacOS (or computer) in the year since you last used Excel? It might simply be that it's not compatible with the new OS?

[Blackpuddin]

Yes that will be the reason, just upgraded the OS

[AJB88]

For once a year use I'd be using the Mac built in one and exporting or LIbre Office.

I use Libre on Linux to work on Excel files that I sent back to work and get opened in Office 365.

[Murph7355]

Not advocating this particular site, but:

https://www.buy-keys.com/product/microsoft-office-...

£30 or so for the license keys. Download the media. Register the product. You'll probably be good for the next decade

Other links exist. Check the companies/domains for reviews.

[Blackpuddin]

Murph7355 said:

Not advocating this particular site, but:

https://www.buy-keys.com/product/microsoft-office-...

£30 or so for the license keys. Download the media. Register the product. You'll probably be good for the next decade

Other links exist. Check the companies/domains for reviews.

Thanks Murph, will have a look, the good thing about buying this software for my accounts is that it's accountable.