How to recapture lost formatting

[markd3]

Hello All,

So, I'm @ work using an 8mb 2010 Excel file with about 20 sub-worksheets and save it as a 2003 file.
Previously it was saved as an Excel Workbook or Excel Book file.

I'm about to e-mail the file, when I notice that the size is now 20mb.

So, I reopen the file and save it as Excel Book and it's now back to 8mb.

But now the file has lost all of it's original formatting.

All borders and shading which contained various financial tables are gone.

The data is still preserved but it's just sitting there without any borders etc.

Is there any way to restore the file to its original formatting?

The file does not indicate any previous versions.

Appreciate any help.

Thanks.

[JosephP]

do you have any backups? if not I think you will have to reapply the table formatting.

[Cutter]

When you re-opened the 2003 file and saved it as 2010 were you prompted that the file already existed?

[markd3]

Thanks Joseph, the problem is that changes were made to file but it's in the version containing the lost formatting. So, ideally, the preference is to not have to revert to an older file and manually redo all the changes. I didn't know if there may be some tool that can convert a 2003 file into a 2010 file or simply restore previous file format.

[markd3]

Hi Cutter, I'm not sure because I keep renaming the file to track updated versions, so I may have renamed it. I'm pretty sure that when I initially saved the 2010 file as 2003, I probably got a warning message about compatibility and losing formatting. Unfortunately, I saved the file quickly and did not really pay attention to this warning until it popped up again later and then I realized how I messed up.

[Cutter]

When you first saved the 2010 file as a 2003 file you would have had both versions on your drive. When you saved the 2003 file as a 2010 you should have been warned that the file already existed and asked if you wanted to replace it. If you said yes then that file is gone. But you say you keep renaming the file so you will have a copy missing only the latest updates since it was last saved. Have a look at the folder where the files would be and sort by date.

[markd3]

Thanks Cutter, all true, except that many changes have been made to a very large and complex file, so I was hoping to find a solution that would prevent me from having to open a previously saved file that would require manually updating all the work that's already been done.