In 2017, the commission updated procedural rule WAC 480-07-140 requiring electronic submission of official communication, including annual reports. Under this rule, documents must be submitted using the Excel spreadsheet format through the commission's online portal. The commission will release the annual reports in .xlsx format consistent with the rule.
The commission does NOT endorse or recommend any software or software provider. To assist companies without software capable of opening, editing, saving, downloading (as applicable), and printing .xlsx format spreadsheets, staff has tested several free and low-cost office suite software packages and online programs
Other than Microsoft's Office suite, staff successfully tested Microsoft Office Online (online; free), Google Drive (online; free or low-cost), LibreOffice – Still Branch (installed software; free), Kingsoft (installed software; free or paid variants).
Any document in the form of a spreadsheet that displays results of calculations based on formulas must be filed in its native Excel format .xlsx or the updated version of, or successor to, that software program. The commission will accept spreadsheets created using a different software program only if the commission has a license to use that program and personnel who know how to use it.