What's New?

Previously, when previewing office files in Omega 365, the system would convert the original file to a PDF for display. While this solution worked, it came with limitations such as quality loss during conversion and slower preview times.

Now, we're using the WOPI protocol (Web Application Open Platform Interface), which allows us to preview office files directly in their native format. This means that files like Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations are shown exactly as they are, without the need for conversion. The result? A more accurate, responsive, and faster file preview experience.

Key Benefits

1. No Quality Loss

With WOPI, office files are displayed in their original format, so there is no degradation in quality. You can now see documents exactly as they were created, with all formatting, fonts, and images intact. The main difference will be on Excel files - where there can be quite some difference between a PDF rendition of the file vs the native Excel-file.

2. Faster Previews

Because we're no longer converting files to PDFs, the preview process is quicker in some cases. You can open documents instantly and start working with them without unnecessary delays. Note that the conversion was done only the first time a user accessed the documents, so compared to after it was converted, the difference is less.

3. Enhanced User Experience

By eliminating the need for conversion and offering previews in their native formats, we've made it easier and more enjoyable to navigate through documents in Omega 365 Document Management. 

Availability

Note that if the traditional PDF approach og viewing using WOPI is a setting on the database. In some cases it may be preferred to use the traditional variant with PDF.