Excel file with Macros that opened recently, now when prompted to and enabled macros, data and worksheets do not appear

Question

I have an excel file that prompts me to enable macros to bring up worksheets and data and be able to work in the file. Every time (on my mac) I would get the prompt to enable macros I would allow and the data would appear, up until recently. Now when I enable macros through the prompt that appears (attached) I get no data and the worksheets that used to appear do not show up either (they have the data I was editing and working on). Instead this is all I see (also attached). Any thoughts on what could be causing this to now not pull up any of the worksheets I have been working on?

Answer 1

Hi needexcelhelp3636,

 As per your description, it seems from now when you click “Enable macros” it cannot show your data in Excel workbook.

Instead to click on “Enable macros” button on prompt box how about if you go to Excel>Preferences**>** Security & Privacy>To allow all macros to run select the Enable all macros radio button. Then try to open Macro Excel file to see if you are able to open your workbook with data.  

For reference: Enable or disable macros in Office for Mac

Meanwhile, please go to the Excel menu and choose About Excel, then reply here with the version you are using. Also please confirm does all Excel macro files get same error message.

I appreciate your patience and understanding.

Best Regards

Waqas Muhammad

Answer 2

Hi Waqas,

The version I am using is Version 16.49 (21050901)

When I utilize the enable all Macros setting and open the file in question, I still get the same message in the picture above starting in cell A1 with the message "Please ENABLE MACRO to work with this file." No data or worksheets appear.

The weird thing is, and I should have put this in my original post, other macros files work on this computer, and I even have a secondary PC so I emailed myself the file in question, same thing, it is the only one that has this macros issue. Other files with macros work, just not this one, even when I change the macros settings on that machine as well.

I remember opening and utilizing this file a little over a month ago with no issue, now nothing. Since then I did update my mac, but I thought if that was the issue it would work on my PC, but no luck :(

Answer 3

I also noticed when I tried to save a similar file also with maros that works (was working), that when I make edits to this new file and then save, and tried to go back in and see my edits, the same thing is happening now to this new file, I enable macros but now the worksheets and data within will not pull up.

Again it worked and pulled up the worksheets and data before I made changes and saved, but now that I did that, after saving closing and attempting to reopen, nothing will show up? I assume this is most likely what happened with the file from my original post when I attempted to make edits and then saved, this was just the first time since working in it i have tried to get back in.

This hasn't happened to me before, is this a normal error with macros?

Answer 4

No, that's not normal.

First, please click the little smile button in the upper right corner of the workbook window to report this problem to Microsoft

Next, I have two possible troubleshooting paths to offer. You might restore the previous build and see if that corrects the problem, which would indicate that a new bug was introduced in the 16.49 build. Or, you could try removing the 16.49 build and reinstalling it to make sure there's no issue with the install of the 16.49 build.

To restore an older build use Time Machine to restore Microsoft Excel.app in the Applicaitons folder

Use Time Machine to restore deleted files or older files ...

To reinstall Excel, go to the Applications folder and drag Microsoft Excel.app to the trash

Restart your Mac

Reinstall Excel using this installer:

Install package

Whichever you decide to do, please reply here with the results.

Thanks.

Answer 5

Hi Jim,

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately it does not look like I was backing up to time machine, when I launched the app it only let me go back to "today".

I then uninstalled excel and reinstalled with the link above after a restart and still the same scenario as above, it had me manually enable macros when I opened the file but when I selected enable, no date or worksheets.

I am now afraid to save over any files with Macros because I may be in this same situation with missing data in files.