Use transitional document types in Typefi Writer

If your Word document is saved as a strict document type, a warning message will appear.

‘Strict DOCX variant detected. This is not the preferred format for the conversion.’

This article explains the difference between strict and transitional document types and guides you on how to convert your file to the transitional document type.

Understanding document types in Word

The OOXML (Office Open XML) standard defines two types of Open XML formats: strict and transitional.

• Transitional format: This is the default format for Word documents (.docx) and supports a wider range of Microsoft Word features, making it the most reliable, extensible, and compatible option for Typefi Writer.

• Strict format: This format aligns with the Office Open XML (OOXML) standards, which does not support some features available in the transitional format.

Why does this Strict DOCX warning appear?

By default, Microsoft Word automatically saves documents in the transitional .docx format, which Typefi relies on for compatibility. However, in rare cases, documents created or edited in third-party (non-Word) applications or tools may be saved in the strict format, triggering warnings during conversion when included in workflows.

To avoid warnings during conversion, ensure that all documents are created, edited, and saved in the transitional .docx format directly from Word.

Convert document from strict to transitional (.docx)

To convert your document back to the default transitional .docx format, follow these steps:

First, save the document as a .doc file:

1. Open the document in Microsoft Word.
2. Go to File → Save As.
3. In the Save as type dropdown, select Word 97-2003 Document (*.doc).
4. Click Save.

Next, reopen the .doc file.

1. Close the document.
2. Open the .doc file you just saved.

Then, save the file as .docx.

1. Go to File → Save As.
2. In the Save as dropdown, select Word Document (*.docx).
3. Click Save.

This will convert your document to the transitional format and the warning should no longer appear.