Excel open blank workbook. How do I stop it.

Question

I don't want Excel to open a blank workbook every time I open the program. How do I stop that?

Answer 1

If you mean on initial launch of Excel, that's how the program is designed to work & in keeping with the guidelines for OS X apps as specified by Apple. In order to do virtually anything in Excel a file must be open. The blank file does absolutely no harm, uses no system resources & will simply evaporate if unused when you open a different file.

OTOH, if you're referring to a new file being generated when you switch back to Excel if it's already running with no files open, that's a different story :-) The simple solution is to not click Excel's Dock icon once the program has been launched. Use one of the operating system's methods designed for the purpose, such as Command+Tab among many others. Each time you click the Dock icon the OS considers it a new launch of the program which is what causes the new document to be generated - and that one doesn't evaporate when you open another file.

Regards,

Bob J.

Answer 2

@ Kevin - I'm using Mac OS X 10.7.5 with Excel version 14.3.0 and do not get a new blank workbook when I click on the Excel Dock icon. What version of Mac OS X are you using with update level of Excel?

@ Kevin and Jim Gordon - I understand now from Bob Jones's answer that this happens when I click on the dock icon if i don't already have a document open. I have confirmed this with several programs. Maybe this is one difference between what you're observing and what Kevin's observing. Another difference might be that it only applies to document creation programs, as it happens with TextEdit, Word, Excel, and Pages, but not with Graphic Converter, an image editing program, as is Photoshop.

At least I understand why this is happening now, although I don't understand why Apple should require this. Yes, a file must be open to do anything in Excel, but usually it's a file I've already been working on - I'm not such a whiz that I can whip out a complete spreadsheet soup to nuts in one sitting. I don't understand Apple's reasoning - the reason I like the dock is because I can easily open programs, see what's open, and navigate between them. Yes, I can use command-tab, and do a lot. It's just been bewildering why I keep getting new worksheets all the time and there's no way to turn it off.

I don't agree with Jim that it is harmless to have new blank documents automatically created when you don't want them. When i am working in Excel I am working in a mode that is difficult for me. It takes all my brain cells to keep in mind what I need to learn and remember, in order to accomplish a particular goal. I don't use it all the time. I almost always have to come online to forums like this multiple times when working on any given spreadsheet. If it weren't for people like you volunteering your time to explain how to do things in clear English, I wouldn't be able to use Excel at all - the built-in help instructions are not in a language that I speak.

So for me, any distraction from my train of thought and focus is harmful. It's like driving along and somebody throws a bucket of water on your windshield every once in a while. The water isn't going to harm your car or get you wet, but it startles you and distracts you. This triggers stress reactions, which interfere with higher level cognitive functions. Seriously.

If you know it is always going to happen when you go under an overpass if you drive in the right lane, but not in the left lane, you can prepare for it and choose to go in the left lane. Of course, you would rather you didn't have to do that, but at least it is predictable. That is how I feel about what I have learned here today - now that I understand it, I can manage it - but I still don't like it. But thank you all for your helpful explanation.

Answer 3

@ Kevin - I'm using Mac OS X 10.7.5 with Excel version 14.3.0 and do not get a new blank workbook when I click on the Excel Dock icon. What version of Mac OS X are you using with update level of Excel?

Answer 4

If you mean on initial launch of Excel, that's how the program is designed to work & in keeping with the guidelines for OS X apps as specified by Apple. In order to do virtually anything in Excel a file must be open. The blank file does absolutely no harm, uses no system resources & will simply evaporate if unused when you open a different file.

OTOH, if you're referring to a new file being generated when you switch back to Excel if it's already running with no files open, that's a different story :-) The simple solution is to not click Excel's Dock icon once the program has been launched. Use one of the operating system's methods designed for the purpose, such as Command+Tab among many others. Each time you click the Dock icon the OS considers it a new launch of the program which is what causes the new document to be generated - and that one doesn't evaporate when you open another file.

Regards,

Bob J.

That can't be the case. When I open Photoshop there's no blank document that automatically opens. 

I have Excel open right now with no document. If I click the dock icon it creates a new, blank document. I want that to stop.

Answer 5

The only way is to either open a save template or open a file by double-clicking.

Office is Following Apple's Mandatory rules you for UI. You can not open any Mac Application without opening, either a template, a new file, or a previously created file.

The easiest way to open a previously created file is locate the file and double click, or simply open Excel and go to: Open Recent and open desired file, or open from Template.

I have mine set up where the Temples window is open when you are opening  Excel, or Word then you have option of choosing a template, just create a new file or open a previous file.