Mac Excel does not open data from a Windows Excel sheet- all cells have #Name? instead of data

Question

I have Excel 2011 for Mac.  My colleague in the office sent me an xlsx file attachment created from the output of a database.  When I open the file, it asks : "This workbook contains automatic links to information in another workbook. Do you want to update this workbook with changes made to the other workbook?"  Then some explanations, then the buttons: "EDIT LINKS" or "UPDATE" or "IGNORE LINKS."

No matter what option I choose, the file opens and all cells contain "#Name?" instead of data.

Now here's the fun part....  In Apple MAIL, if I click on QUICK VIEW, I can SEE THE DATA!!!  It's there!

I've tried saving it in earlier formats, saving it as SLK file, and nothing works.

I have a PC laptop I lugged out as a last resort.  The file opened fine with all the data!  (Also, for you techies out there, the laptop was not connected by VPN to the network, so there was no "silent feed" of the data.)

My colleagues got the same file and opened it on PCs saw all the data.

Clearly, there is something with the Mac version of Excel.......

Any ideas or, better, answers out there?

THANKS!

Answer 1

1. Close all the workbooks that are open.
2. Create a new workbook.
3. On the Excel menu, click Preferences.
4. Click the Calculation tab, and then click Manual.
5. Click to clear the Recalculate before save check box, and then click OK.
6. Open your problem file. Last values should be visible.
7. After copying the values, don't forget to return calculation to Automatic.

Best regads,

Answer 2

Quick View shows the data that was stored from the most recent save of the workbook. It does not show live linked data. 

When links are set to update automatically, the moment Excel opens the file, it tries to connect to the source workbook. If the file path is incorrect, you get #REF.  Most likely, the cells are linked to a workbook on the sender's PC, which you would not be able to get at from your computer.

To see the data as it existed when the workbook was saved, have your friend set the links to Manual. That way Excel won't try to update the data when the file is opened.

You can use Excel's Share Workbook feature to share a workbook using a shared volume. This would likely solve your troubles if you don't need the features disabled by the Share Workbook feature:

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-share-a-workbook-in-excel-2011-for-mac.html

Answer 3

I have heard of this before. #Name means that there is something in a formula that Excel does not understand. Click on a cell and let us know exactly what is in the formula bar.

On the other hand, this should, of course work fine. So something is fishy. How many links exist in the workbook? What is the name of the linked to file(s)?

Answer 4

Interesting.  However, the data IS there, as I mentioned.  In QUICK VIEW in MAIL, I can see all the data.  When I open the file, however, all I see is "#name?".  Since I am receiving this file from someone else, I don't have a clue why I can open the file with info on a PC but not on a Mac, even though I can see that data in QUICK VIEW in MAIL...

Answer 5

Go to Help menu Type in search box #NAME this box should come up.

see this: https://skitch.com/pjonescet/8khd1/excel-help follow the suggestions. each of the triangle when clicked open to  reveal other suggestions.

Does the database/sheet use any macros with Active-X controls? If so the Macros won't work and might cause this. They will have to use control called legacy controls.  which will work on both.