Excel Issues when multiple workbooks are open

Question

I can't figure this out!!!

I use Excel for business spreadsheets for 4 restaurants and at home, all on the same subscription and office version. This happens on ALL of these computers.

Sometimes, when clicking on a cell to enter data, it wont respond, and then after clicking the cell twice, it opens up another workbook that I was previously using usually says "this is a protected worksheet etc"

It happens frequently, and is super frustrating. I've tried reinstalling/updating/repairing.

Does anyone else have this happen? I don't think I ever had this issue with older versions of office excel (<2013). All the PC configurations are different, but software is all windows 10 and office 365.

Thank you for any assistance.

Answer 1

No, I don't know of a way to do this. Since I can't reproduce it, perhaps it's something specific on your end? You say this happens on different computers, but the behavior is always the same?

One thing I would check is in File | Options | Advanced, all the way at the bottom for 'Lotus compatibility'. Are any of those items checked?

As you also said, make sure you test this behavior with no add-ins installed (xlam, COM, etc.).

Answer 2

Hi Zack,

Thanks for your reply. This isn't happening on "blank" workbooks"

For example, I'm changing some schedule data on a simple spreadsheet, i'll click the cell and I will not be able to edit. If I double click the cell, then it will insert the text curser in the cell, but when I start to type, it will open another spreadsheet I was using previously as if that was the cell I clicked on, if it happens to be a protected cell, then it gives the warning that this cell cannot be modified etc.

I will try and take a screenshot of it, but this has been happening for years. Hard to reproduce because it happens at random. I'm no IT Wizard but I usually have a handle on these sorts of things whether its a bad plugin etc.

Is there a way to enable logging so I can see if it logs any errors when this happens and post it here?

Cheers,

Cody Salter

Calgary, AB

Answer 3

Hi Cody,

Can't say I've ever heard of this before. What workbook are you editing? Is it a blank workbook, or one you've saved already? If a blank workbook, is it blank from when you click File | New, or 'Blank workbook' from the Start screen? (They're different workbooks, which is why I ask.)

I'm not able to reproduce this behavior at all. Is there any more specifics you can give us? I'm afraid if you can't, there's not much we can do. We have to know what a problem is before we can work on a solution.