This help sheet covers the basics of file conversion.
Programs store documents in their own unique formats.
Converting a document from one format to another allows you to share your work with colleagues, who may not have the same software or configuration as the machine you created it on. File conversion can also be useful when you need to print files from the IRCs that have been made using software that the college doesn't own, or has a different version of. For Windows users, document conversion is a necessary skill if you want to make effective use of the campus computing facilities. The simplest way to convert documents is to have the program you used to create the document convert it to another application's format for you. Many applications come with several different translators that tell them how other common programs store their documents.