Add-ins prevent excel from running

Greetings Pete,

I am having the exact same issue. You are right about Cortex. As soon as i disabled it, there were no issues running Excel with the Addins.

I tried adding excel and the various addins to the allowed list in Cortex, but it made no difference. I'm leaning towards it being a compatibility issue between the the two.

Were you able to figure out a solution for this yet?

Thanks in advance.

Hello! Mehran D

Thank you for the reply!

Oh I see so you are using a Microsoft 365 For business/Enterprise this can be due to how IT admin have managed your application and add-ins and since you are using a Microsoft 365 Enterprise subscription we have a dedicated team for Business related concerns.

We will move your thread to our Business support, please wait for their response in this same thread: Add-ins prevent excel from running - Microsoft Community

Best regards,

Vince

Microsoft Community Moderator

Hi Mehran, I'm having this problem also. What endpoint protection you are using? We use Cortex XDR, and when uninstalled, the problem goes away. We're awaiting a response from PA.

Thanks for your response.

• The issue occurs with both the Analysis Toolpack and Solver; I haven't tested other add-ins.
• Version: Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise.
• As mentioned in my previous message, I encounter the following error: "Excel is encountering issues with the 'Solver Add-in'. If this persists, disable the add-in and check for available updates. Would you like to disable it now?" This occurs when I am connected to the internet and have not deactivated the add-ins before opening. However, once I disconnect from the internet or deactivate the add-ins in my last use, Excel opens without any issues.
• I have been facing this problem since the first day I activated the add-ins.

None of the steps you mentioned worked.

Hello! Mehran D

Thank you for posting in Microsoft Community

It seems that the issue you are experiencing is related to the add-ins in Excel. Please note that Add-ins are considered as 3rd party programs in Excel if you have any issues with the 3rd party for installation or performance issue I suggest contacting the app developer for an update as we can only do basic troubleshooting steps for this.

Allow me to ask:

• Is this happening to all of the add-ins or just specific add in?
• What version and edition of Office do you have installed in your device? Example: Personal/Family/Enterprise?
  • You can open any Office apps
  • Go to File > Accounts - on the right side you can see Product Information
• What error message are you getting?
• Was this working before?

Here are some steps you can try to resolve the issue:

1. Check for updates: Go to the "File" tab in Excel, click on "Options," then "Add-ins." Under "Manage," select "Excel Add-ins" and click "Go." Check if there are any updates available for the add-ins and install them.
2. Disable and re-enable the add-ins: Go to the "File" tab in Excel, click on "Options," then "Add-ins." Under "Manage," select "Excel Add-ins" and click "Go." Uncheck the add-ins that are causing the issue, then click "OK." Close Excel and reopen it. Go back to the "Add-ins" menu and re-enable the add-ins.
3. Repair Office: Go to the Start menu > Settings > Apps > Locate your Microsoft Office > Modify > Repair > Quick Repair.

If none of these steps work, you may need to uninstall and reinstall the add-ins. I hope this helps!

Thank you,

Vince

Microsoft Community Moderator