Unblocking a Macro

Question

Good Afternoon,

I am trying to Unblock a macro that is on an excel sheet i got from North Dakota Child Support Website that says this:

[Calculator](https://www.hhs.nd.gov/sites/www/files/documents/child-support/documents/guidelinescalculator.xlsm"guidelines calculator excel link") updated July 1, 2023 Set this site as a Trusted Website to use the guidelines calculator.  To print the guidelines, you must enable macros. Be sure you are using the current Calculator. The Calculator is updated periodically to reflect changes in the guidelines and changes in tax-related amounts.

Which i set it as a trusted website i followed the step-by-step intrusions provided. It still won't let me access the excel sheet it says it is blocked. IT specifically says in Red : SECURITY RISK Microsoft has blocked macros from running because the source of this file is untrusted. Learn More

So I clicked Learn more Which brings me to the Microsoft page titled A potentially dangerous macro has been blocked ; which gives me two options on different ways to fix the unblocking portion of it. The first option says these specific instructions with an attached picture;

Unblock a single file

In most cases you can unblock macros by modifying the properties of the file as follows:

1. Open Windows File Explorer and go to the folder where you saved the file.
2. Right-click the file and choose Properties from the context menu.
3. At the bottom of the General tab, select the Unblock checkbox and select OK.

But i do not have the Security box that it says i should have when going on the specific excel sheet that i need. I tried the second option provided and was able to add the website link to trust it and it still will not allow me to access it. I am at a lost of what i should do and I really need this excel sheet. What else can I try to help me have access to it. Thank you and I hope to hear from you soon.

Answer 1

To unblock the macro in your Excel file from the North Dakota Child Support Website, follow these steps:

1. Unblock the File: Since you mentioned that the Unblock checkbox is not visible in the Properties dialog, this could be due to the file being on a network share or a specific security setting. If the file is downloaded from the internet, it might have the Mark of the Web applied, which can prevent macros from running.
   • Right-click on the file in Windows File Explorer, select Properties, and check if there is an Unblock checkbox on the General tab. If it is not there, proceed to the next step.
2. Use PowerShell: If the Unblock option is not available, you can use PowerShell to unblock the file. Open PowerShell and run the following command:

      Unblock-File -Path "C:\path\to\your\file.xlsm"
   

   Replace C:\path\to\your\file.xlsm with the actual path to your downloaded file.
3. Check Trusted Sites: Ensure that the website is added as a Trusted Site. You can do this by going to Control Panel > Internet Options > Security tab > Trusted sites > Sites. Add the URL of the North Dakota Child Support Website if it is not already listed.
4. Open in Desktop App: If you are using Excel Online, try downloading the file and opening it in the desktop version of Excel. This sometimes resolves macro issues.
5. Check Group Policy Settings: If you are in a corporate environment, group policy settings might be preventing macros from running. You may need to contact your IT department to check these settings.

If you follow these steps and still face issues, consider reaching out to Microsoft support for further assistance.

---

References:

• Steps to take to allow VBA macros to run in files that you trust
• Guidance on allowing VBA macros to run in files you trust

Answer 2

Hey, I posted a comment to the first answer that was given to me, would you be able to reply to my comment which was;

On the Powershell the Replace C would i put the website link that i want to be trusted? Which would be https://ww.childsupport.dhs.nd.gov