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Long-term archiving with ODF: a future-proof strategy

Digital documents in proprietary formats often become inaccessible within a few years due to undocumented changes to the XML schema that are intentionally employed for lock-in purposes. To avoid this problem, it is advisable to use the Open Document Format (ODF) not only for everyday tasks, but also for long-term storage. This ensures that documents remain accessible for years or even generations. Without this approach, government documents, academic research, legal documents and corporate archives risk becoming true digital orphans — files that exist, but cannot be read. This is not so much because the software that created them is obsolete, but because the XML schema has been modified to make the files readable by a specific version of a single software program. However, the layering of changes makes them unreadable by any software in the long term. Why is ODF suitable for archiving? ODF (ISO/IEC 26300 and subsequent versions) is an open standard, managed transparently by OASIS. Its development process and specifications are documented and publicly accessible, unlike proprietary formats, where the process is undocumented and the ISO/IEC specifications do not reflect the reality of the format. This means that even if the current software disappeared, developers could create new

ODF format security: encryption, signatures and metadata management

Open Document Format (ODF) is an open standard for office documents – texts, spreadsheets, presentations and more – that is flexible and interoperable. As with any other digital format, its security is a key concern, as ODF files often contain sensitive information that, without adequate protection measures, can be exposed, tampered with or tracked. This post analyses how ODF handles security, focusing on encryption, digital signatures and metadata management: three features that protect documents from prying eyes and tampering. Encryption: content locking ODF supports file-level encryption using standard algorithms. When you save an ODF document with a password, the content is compressed and then encrypted using AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), typically with a 256-bit key. Here’s what happens behind the scenes: The document content (the XML file) is compressed. A random salt (a sequence of bits used together with a password as input to a one-way function) and an initialisation vector (IV), which is a block of bits of a predefined length, are generated. A key is derived from the password using PBKDF2 (Password-Based Key Derivation Function 2). The key is a string of data used with an algorithm to encode (encrypt) and decode (decrypt) the text, transforming it from

Make your ODF files accessible: a simple guide for everyone

People without disabilities have no problem viewing documents on a computer screen, but there are people with visual impairments or who are blind who use screen readers and keyboard navigation. ODF files have everything they need to be accessible to these people too, and this is a short guide to creating documents that they can use without any problems. In the context of digital document management, accessible means that a document can be consulted without any constraints related to the ability to see or move one’s hands with dexterity. This means that people can quickly find what they are looking for (headings, lists, indexes), understand the meaning of graphs and images thanks to descriptions, tables are simple and clear, and they can read the text because the contrast is good and the links make sense even out of context. To achieve this result, which does not discriminate against people based on their physical characteristics, it is necessary to follow a few simple rules when creating a document. Obviously, we are talking about LibreOffice, although the rules also apply to other office suites (although in this case the document format will be proprietary and not standard). 1. Use styles for headings

How to resolve common compatibility issues with ODF files

Troubleshooting opening, formatting, and data loss issues with Open Document Format files ODF files are great for sharing documents across multiple platforms, but they don’t always work perfectly, especially when using Microsoft Office or other software based on proprietary formats. If you’ve encountered problems opening, editing, or preserving the formatting of .odt, .ods, or .odp files, you’re not alone. Here’s an overview of the most common compatibility issues with ODF files, along with their solutions. 1. The ODF file does not open in Microsoft Office Opening an .odt file with Word or an .ods file with Excel is unsuccessful, and the file opens with formatting errors. Microsoft Office supports ODF, but not always correctly, and although support has improved in recent versions, files continue to have difficulties with some features. There are two solutions: updating Microsoft Office, as compatibility improves with each new version; and converting with LibreOffice, which natively handles ODF files and, in compatibility mode, .docx and .xlsx files much better than Microsoft Office does with .odt and .ods files. 2. Formatting changes during transfer between suites A file may appear perfect in LibreOffice, but when opened in Microsoft Office, the layout, fonts or spacing may change. This

Guide to migrating from proprietary formats to ODF

In the digital world, document formats are essential. Proprietary formats such as Microsoft Word’s DOCX or Excel’s XLSX dominate the workplace, but at the same time they lock users into a specific vendor and its business strategies, which tend to exploit users to the maximum in every way. The Open Document Format (ODF) offers an open, standard alternative that protects users and their privacy, promotes interoperability, long-term access and data ownership. Migrating documents from proprietary formats to ODF is the solution, and although vendors who rely on proprietary formats – not only Microsoft, but also its freeware clones such as OnlyOffice or WPS Office – do everything they can to prevent it, it is very easy and represents a fundamental step forward for users in terms of privacy and digital sovereignty (i.e., ownership of their own content). This guide breaks down the migration process to make the transition smooth, efficient and sustainable, both at the individual level (where problems are virtually non-existent) and at the enterprise level, where problems exist due to the lock-in strategies of proprietary formats. Step 1: Understand ODF and its advantages No dependence on a single vendor: freedom to use any compatible software Better long-term accessibility,

Best practices for creating and editing Open Document Format (ODF) files

Adhering to these guidelines can enhance productivity and guarantee that documents remain consistent, robust and accessible over time, irrespective of the platform. Firstly, use an editor such as LibreOffice that natively supports the format without conversion. This preserves the nuances of the ODF XML structure, supports all its features and reduces the risk of formatting issues or data loss. It also ensures that documents are fully compatible with the ISO standard. Secondly, use an up-to-date version of LibreOffice to benefit from continuous improvements in ODF feature management, avoid bugs that could cause file corruption (a rare event thanks to the robustness of the ODF format, but still possible) and enjoy the highest level of security in file management. Thirdly, use LibreOffice document templates and styles for all elements, such as headings, fonts, paragraphs, and tables, to ensure consistent formatting throughout the document. This allows you to make global changes quickly by changing the style rather than each individual element, and improves accessibility, as screen readers and other assistive technologies rely on a consistent structure. This also results in smaller, more robust ODF files. Creating and reusing LibreOffice templates is an excellent practice for companies that produce many similar documents (such

Press Releases

The Document Foundation announces LibreOffice 25.8.7

Berlin, 12 May 2026 - The Document Foundation announces the release of LibreOffice 25.8.7, the final maintenance release of the…

Open Document Format

There is no digital sovereignty without ODF

Any other choice is a choice of dependence on a single vendor Digital sovereignty begins with the document format. Everything…