1 - Introduction ~5 mins
Welcome
You already have a project document started from a template. Today you learn how to send that work out in the right file format so a supervisor, examiner, or employer can open it without drama. Choosing .docx, .pdf, or .rtf is a professional habit, not a technical detail.
Before we start
- Open {{code:Project_Portfolio/09_specialism/sm1/}}.
- Open {{code:sm1_doc1_from_template.docx}} (your Word file or Google Doc built from a template).
- If it is missing, create a short template-based stub in {{code:sm1}} with the exact name {{code:sm1_doc1_from_template.docx}}, then continue.
Your teacher will check the path on the board first. If your master is still only in {{code:03_finished}}, move or copy it into {{code:sm1}} when they say so.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Choose appropriate file formats for working, finished, and fallback use
- Convert a document between .docx, .pdf, and .rtf
- Verify each export opens correctly in a second application
Warm-up
Think of a time someone sent you a file you could not open, or you sent one that looked broken on their phone. What went wrong: the app, the format, or both? Keep that moment in mind as we match each format to a job.
2 - Key Concepts ~5 mins
File format is a decision about who needs the file next and whether they should still edit it.
Quick decision guide
- Still editing? Stay on .docx (or keep the live Google Doc and download .docx when you need a Word copy).
- Handing in or sending outside school? Prefer .pdf.
- Stuck with a picky old system? Try .rtf as the fallback.
| Concept | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| .docx (working) — editable Word format for drafts | Keeps styles and comments so you and a supervisor can still change the text | Work Experience draft stays .docx until sign-off |
| .pdf (finished) — fixed layout on almost any device | Stops headings and spacing shifting on a phone or different laptop | Email a community proposal PDF to a local club secretary |
| .rtf (fallback) — older editable format; basic text and simple bold survive | Rescue option when .docx will not open; not for logos or complex tables | Older workplace PC rejects .docx; .rtf still carries CV headings |
| Convert and verify — export a copy, then open it in a second app | Export can drop images or change fonts; a short check beats a failed hand-in | Open the PDF in the browser before you attach it |
Also know (optional today): .odt is an open editable format that free office suites open cleanly. You can try it in the extension if you finish early.
Today’s path: keep the editable master, then create {{code:sm1_doc1_from_template.pdf}} and {{code:sm1_doc1_from_template.rtf}} beside a portable .docx copy in {{code:sm1}}.
3 - Step-by-step Task ~22 mins
With your teacher’s demo on the screen, export your template-based project document into three formats (portable .docx, .pdf, and .rtf) from the master in {{code:sm1}}, then open each export to prove it works. Follow the tab that matches your suite.
Watch-outs before you start
- Browser downloads land in Downloads first — upload each export into {{code:Project_Portfolio/09_specialism/sm1/}} straight away.
- Do not rename a file extension by hand (for example turning .pdf into .docx). Always re-export.
- If Word Online has no RTF option, use the numbered Google Docs route in the Microsoft steps — that is normal, not a mistake.
Priority order: portable .docx, then PDF (mandatory open check), then RTF last. Your teacher will call a mid-block check after the PDF before anyone starts RTF.
4 - Common Issues ~2 mins
Common Issues
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| I only see files in Downloads, not in my portfolio | Browser downloads land locally first. Upload or move each export into {{code:Project_Portfolio/09_specialism/sm1/}} so your teacher can find the evidence later. |
| The PDF looks fine but the .rtf lost my table or logo | That is normal for RTF. Keep PDF for layout-perfect hand-in and treat RTF as a text rescue format, not a design format. |
| Word Online has no Rich Text Format option | Use the numbered Google Docs path in the Microsoft steps: upload the .docx, open with Google Docs, then {{menu:File -> Download -> Rich Text Format (.rtf)}}. Desktop Word is fine if available. |
| The second app says the file is corrupt or empty | Check you did not rename the extension by hand (for example turning .pdf into .docx). Re-export from the original document instead of editing the extension. |
| Two files have nearly the same name and I am not sure which is which | Use the shared stem {{code:sm1_doc1_from_template.docx}} and let the real extension (.docx / .pdf / .rtf) show the format. Delete accidental duplicates named “Copy of…”. |
5 - Independent Practice ~15 mins
Independent Practice
Use your real project document ({{code:sm1_doc1_from_template.docx}}) — for example a Work Experience report, a Vocational Preparation Guidance (VPG) CV, or another hand-in your teacher names. On the last checklist column, name who you would send each format to.
Open the pre-dropped {{code:sm1_format_skills_checklist}} in {{code:Project_Portfolio/09_specialism/sm1/}}. Your teacher will have placed a blank five-column table there (Format | Purpose | Opened in | Pass or issue | Real hand-in use). If the file is missing, create a new document in that folder titled exactly {{code:sm1_format_skills_checklist}}, insert a table with five columns and four rows, and type those headers in the first row.
Your teacher will name one default recipient for the room (usually Work Experience supervisor). Personalise only if your own project topic is already set. Copy the sample rows below, then replace the sample wording with your own checks for your three exports (.docx, .pdf, .rtf).
| Format | Purpose | Opened in | Pass or issue | Real hand-in use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| .docx | working draft | Word Online / Google Docs | Pass — styles still editable | Keep editing with my teacher before hand-in |
| finished hand-in | browser preview | Pass — headings and spacing intact | Email PDF to Work Experience supervisor | |
| .rtf | fallback | Google Docs (Open with) | Pass — body text readable; logo dropped (expected) | Send if their PC will not open .docx |
- {{code:sm1_doc1_from_template.docx}}, {{code:sm1_doc1_from_template.pdf}}, and {{code:sm1_doc1_from_template.rtf}} all sit in your {{code:sm1}} Specialism folder (Tier A); at minimum the PDF is in {{code:sm1}} today (Tier B)
- {{code:sm1_format_skills_checklist}} is saved in the same folder with completed rows for the formats you finished (three rows for Tier A; PDF row for Tier B)
- At least one checklist line names a real recipient or office (default: Work Experience supervisor, or another person your teacher named) and the format you would send
- You can point to the PDF on screen and show it opens with layout intact
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