Updates and Help
The Excel Workbooks, Excel Add-ins, and screencasts on this site will be updated and corrected regularly so head there if you are merely looking for the latest versions of a file.
As far as mistakes in the printed book, this page will maintain a list of errata (since I know that typos are like jelly, it is inefficient to get them all out). I am not maintaining a list of bad URLs in the book, but I will fix broken links in the Excel workbooks when I see them. If you get a dreaded Error 404, please email me and let me know.
If you are here looking for help, remember that Excel is a rather complicated beast. You should be sure to have the latest patches for your version of Excel (and other Office and Windows products). You can find these and other resources at support.office.com.
Before emailing me with a problem (which I promise I will try my best to fix), please take a look at these common issues and their solutions.
Issues and Solutions
| Description | Explanation | Solution |
| Buttons (or scroll bars or other objects) do not work at all. Clicking a button does nothing. | All of the buttons (and other objects) in my workbooks are tied to macros. You must allow Excel to run these macros for the buttons to work. | Be sure that you click Enable Content after opening a workbook. |
I don't see an option to Enable Content after opening a workbook. |
Your Excel security is set too high and will not run any macros. | Change the security level. In Excel 2010 or greater, execute File--> Options--> Trust Center--> Trust Center Setting (button). In the Trust Center dialog box, click Macro Settings and select Disable all macros with notification. |
An add-in won't work or has disappeared. |
Add-ins are special files that contain macros. In order to access them, Excel's security must be properly configured. | The easiest fix is to uninstall and reinstall the add-in via the Add-ins Manager. In Excel 2010 or greater, execute File--> Options--> Add-ins--> Go. Uncheck the add-in, quit the Add-ins Manager, call it again and check the add-in. |
I get an error that says, "Can't find project or library." |
Your installation of Excel is missing a control. | Remove the missing control, then run the code to install the add-in. 1) Click OK or DeBug on the error message dialog box. You are now in Visual Basic. 2) Execute Tools--> References and uncheck any controls that say MISSING. If References is dimmed, click on the add-in (e.g., EconChart.xla) in the project (top left) window, then execute Tools--> References. 3) Execute Run--> Run Macro F5. The add-in should now install itself. 4) Execute File--> Close and return to Microsoft Excel. |
I am using a non-English version of Excel and I can't install an add-in. |
The add-in is not using the correct word for "Tools" in the Tools menu. | Manually alter the code. See NonEnglishVersionError.doc for detailed instructions. |
Aaack! I can't see the Add-ins tab so I can't see any add-ins! |
This happens sometimes when the Developer tab is not visible. | Use the Add-ins Manager (see above) to uninstall (uncheck) the add-in, then display the Developer tab (File--> Options--> Popular--> check Show Developer tab in ribbon or File--> Options--> Customize Ribbon--> check Developer. Use the Add-ins Manager to install (check) the desired add-in. |
I downloaded an add-in, but I can't find it from the Add-ins Manager. |
This happens sometimes when you use Internet Explorer to download the add-in. It changes the name from .xla to .xls. | From Windows Explorer, verify that the add-in's file extension is .xla. If not, rename the file, changing .xls to .xla. Return to Excel and use the Add-ins Manager to install it. |
If none of the above address your issue or you can't figure it out, email me.