Win forms app using old .NET FastReport version generates DOCX file, my word 2508 opens and messes up the tables

Question

When a Windows Forms application uses an older, non-updatable version of FastReport (.NET 2.0 Extension) to generate a DOCX file, a "matrix-like" structure is created that merges tables, causing them to overflow off the page. This issue occurs specifically when the file is opened in Word build version 2508, whereas it displays normally in Word build version 2507. The problem appears to be caused by PageBreaks generated within this matrix structure, which Word build version 2508 fails to interpret correctly. Although a programmatic solution to delete the PageBreaks was attempted, it resulted in the tables merging together and overflowing horizontally, indicating a deeper formatting issue related to how the Word interprets the DOCX file.

Example version 2508 is the picture that overflows:

Example version 2507 is the picture that works well:

Answer 1

Hi @Marin Grabovac,

Thank you for bringing this to our attention with such clarity. I fully understand the severity of the issue and the operational impact it’s having on your organization. The corruption of mission-critical reports due to changes in Word’s table rendering engine is deeply concerning, especially given the scale of affected users.

 

Based on your description and recent reports from the Microsoft community, it appears that Word version 2508 introduced changes to how tables are merged and rendered, particularly when paragraph breaks are programmatically removed between matrix-style tables. These changes can trigger horizontal overflow errors, resulting in unreadable or corrupted documents.

1/ Test on Earlier Word Builds

If possible, open the same reports in Word version 2507 or earlier. This can help confirm the regression and serve as a temporary workaround.

2/ Consider Adjusting Report Generation Logic

As a short-term mitigation, you might explore inserting minimal spacing or alternative formatting between tables to avoid triggering the merge algorithm.

3/ Submit a Support Ticket to Microsoft 

I strongly recommend submitting this issue through your Microsoft 365 admin portal or via Microsoft Tech Community. The more detailed the report, the faster it can be prioritized.  Engaging with Microsoft Support will allow you to work with agents who can provide live assistance and escalate the issue to specialized teams if needed. They also have the ability to perform deeper backend analysis and offer targeted solutions that go beyond what we can provide here in the forum. 

We’re committed to supporting you through this and will do everything we can to help minimize disruption. I know this isn’t the outcome you were hoping for, and I sincerely wish I had a more effective solution to offer. Your feedback is incredibly valuable, and I encourage you to share it on the Microsoft Feedback Portal, where it can be reviewed out Product Department and supported by other users who may have the same issue. I encourage you to submit this feedback directly through Outlook by selecting Help > Feedback > Suggest a Feature or submitting your feedback through the Microsoft Feedback Hub.

Sharing your experience through this channel is the most impactful way to advocate for a change that would benefit you and other users. 

Thank you again for your patience and for bringing this to our attention. While I can't change the product's design, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any other questions about its current functionality.    

Please let me know if there's anything else I can assist you with and I’ll do my best to support you.

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Answer 2

Hi @Marin Grabovac,

Thank you for posting your question on Microsoft Q&A Community and for the detailed explanation and screenshots comparing Word build versions 2507 and 2508. To better understand and isolate the issue with the DOCX file generated by your Windows Forms app using FastReport .NET 2.0, here are a few clarifying questions:

1/ Does the issue occur only in Word build 2508?

Have you tested the same DOCX file in other builds (e.g., 2507, 2506)? If so, how do they behave?

2/ Is the DOCX file using a matrix-style layout with merged cells across rows/columns?

Are PageBreaks inserted programmatically or by FastReport’s export settings?

3/ Are you using any custom export configurations (e.g., matrix layout, page breaks, table width constraints)?

Is the DOCX generated with embedded styles or external templates?

4/ Is the DOCX opened locally or from a network/cloud location (e.g., OneDrive, SharePoint)?

Are there any differences in rendering when opened on different machines or OS versions?

5/ Have you tried removing PageBreaks manually or via script (e.g., Open XML SDK or PowerShell)?

Have you tested exporting to RTF or PDF and converting to DOCX afterward?

Once we have this information, I’ll be better equipped to suggest a targeted workaround or script-based solution.

Looking forward to your response.

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