Command-line switches for Excel

This article shows you how to customize the way that Microsoft Office Excel 2007 starts by adding switches and parameters to the startup command. For example, you can prevent the startup screen from appearing when you start Office Excel 2007, or you can have Excel open a specific file when it starts.

Command line switches are also called command-line options, and sometimes you can use a parameter without a switch.

If you want to use a switch and any associated parameters just one time, you can type the command in the Run dialog box (Start menu) in Microsoft Windows. If you want to use the same switch and associated parameters many times, you can create a desktop shortcut that always starts the program by using the same switch and parameters. This article discusses how to do both, and contains a table that lists all of the switches and parameters that are available in Office Excel 2007.

In this article

Introducing commands, switches, and parameters

Use a switch once by adding it to the Run command

Make a switch available for reuse by creating a shortcut

Available switches and parameters

Introducing commands, switches, and parameters

Each time that you start Excel 2007 by clicking the Excel program icon or the program name on the Start menu, you are actually running the Excel.exe command, although you do not usually type the command or even see it.

You can change certain aspects of how the program starts by adding subcommands called switches to the Excel.exe command. A switch appears as a space after the main command, followed by a slash mark (/) and the name of the switch. The switch is sometimes followed by another space and then one or more specific instructions called parameters, which give the program further information about how to execute the Excel.exe command. For example, the following command instructs Excel to start and then open the specified file as read-only:

excel.exe /r "c:\My Folder\book1.xlsx"

In this example, the switch is /r, and the parameter is "c:\My Folder\book1.xlsx".

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Use a switch once by adding it to the Run command

1. In Microsoft Windows, click the Start button, and then click Run.

 Note    If you are running Windows Vista and you click the Start button and do not see the Run command, point to All Programs, click Accessories, and then click Run.

2. In the Run dialog box, type excel.exe, or click Browse to locate it.
3. Type a space, and then type the switch and any parameters. For example, to start Excel without displaying the startup screen and without opening a blank workbook, you would type:

excel.exe /e

The next time that you start Excel, the program will start according to its defaults (without making use of the switch that you just provided). To make your customized startup available for repeated uses, see the following section.

 Notes 

• Switches and parameters are not case-sensitive. For example, /R is the same as /r.
• Remember to include one blank space before the switch and one before each parameter.

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Make a switch available for reuse by creating a shortcut

First, verify the location of the Excel.exe file on your computer. If you accepted the default folder locations when you installed Excel, the Excel.exe file is probably located at:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\Excel.exe

If you do not find the Excel.exe file at that location, search for the file and make a note of the full path.

1. Right-click the Windows desktop, point to New, and then click Shortcut on the shortcut menu.
2. In the Create Shortcut Wizard, in the Type the location of the item box, type a quotation mark ("), enter the full path for the Excel.exe file (including the file name), and then type a quotation mark. (Alternatively, click Browse to locate and select the file. In this case, the quotation marks are added automatically.)
3. Following the closing quotation mark, type a space, and then type the switch and any parameters. If the parameter is a path to a location on your computer, and the path contains a space, it also must be enclosed in quotation marks. For example:

"c:\program files\microsoft office\office12\excel.exe" /r "c:\My Folder\book1.xlsx"

4. Click Next.
5. In the Type a name for this shortcut box, type a name for the shortcut, and then click Finish.

The wizard creates the shortcut and places it on the desktop.

6. Whenever you want to start Excel in this particular customized way, double-click the shortcut.

Tip  To add the desktop shortcut to the Windows Start menu, right-click the shortcut, and then click Pin to Start menu on the shortcut menu.

You can create a variety of shortcuts, each of which applies different switches and parameters to the program at startup.

 Notes 

• Switches and parameters are not case-sensitive. For example, /R functions the same as /r.
• Remember to include one blank space before the switch and one before each parameter.

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Available switches and parameters

The following table lists all of the switches and parameters that are available in Office Excel 2007.

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See Also

• Customize how Excel starts

Excel > Customizing

Show the Developer tab or run in developer mode

You should display the Developer tab or run in developer mode when you want to write macros, run macros that you previously recorded, or create applications to use with Microsoft Office programs.

Do the following in these Microsoft Office programs:

Excel, PowerPoint, or Word

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Excel Options, PowerPoint Options, or Word Options.
2. Click Popular, and then select the Show Developer tab in the Ribbon check box.

 Note    The Ribbon is part of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface

Outlook

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. On the Other tab, click Advanced Options, and then select the Show Developer tab in the Ribbon check box.

Visio

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. On the Advanced tab, under Advanced Options, select the Run in developer mode check box.

Excel > Customizing

Move the Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar is a customizable toolbar containing a set of commands that are independent of the tab that is currently displayed.

The Quick Access Toolbar can be located in one of two places:

• Upper-left corner next to the Microsoft Office Button (default location)
  
• Below the Ribbon, which is part of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface

If you don't want the Quick Access Toolbar to be displayed in its current location, you can move it to the other location. If you find that the default location next to the Microsoft Office Button is too far from your work area to be convenient, you may want to move it closer to your work area. The location below the Ribbon encroaches on the work area. Therefore, if you want to maximize the work area, you may want to keep the Quick Access Toolbar in its default location.

1. Click Customize Quick Access Toolbar .
2. In the list, click Show Below the Ribbon or Show Above the Ribbon.

 

Excel > Customizing

Show or hide the Message Bar

The Message Bar displays security alerts, workflow tasks, server document information, and policy messages. In such cases, the Message Bar appears by default to provide you with this important information. You can hide the Message Bar and then view it later.

Show or hide the Message Bar

Do the following in these 2007 Microsoft Office system programs.

Word, Excel, or PowerPoint

• On the View tab, in the Show/Hide group, select or clear the Message Bar check box.

 Note    The Message Bar check box is not available if there are no current Message Bar items.

Access

• On the Database Tools tab, in the Show/Hide group, select or clear the Message Bar check box.

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See Also

• Enable or disable security alerts on the Message Bar

Excel > Customizing

Can I customize the Ribbon?

The Ribbon, which is part of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface, is designed to help you quickly find the commands that you need to complete a task. Commands are organized in logical groups that are collected together under tabs. Because each tab relates to a type of activity, such as writing or laying out a page, it is not possible to customize the Ribbon without using XML and programming code.

The following is the Insert tab on the Ribbon in Microsoft Office Word 2007.

Things you can't do

• Add to or rearrange the commands on the Ribbon
• Change or remove a command or group on the Ribbon
• Add tabs to the Ribbon, unless you use XML and programming code
• Switch to the toolbars and menus from earlier versions of Microsoft Office

Things you can do

• Minimize the Ribbon to make more space available on your screen
• Move the Quick Access Toolbar to position it below or above the Ribbon
• Customize the Quick Access Toolbar to add buttons that represent the commands that you frequently use
• Use XML and programming code to extend the Fluent user interface by adding custom tabs, buttons, check boxes, or Dialog Box Launchers. For more information, go to the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN).

See Also

• I can't see a command on the Ribbon

Excel > Customizing

Automatically start an Office program when you turn on your computer

You can save time by configuring your computer to automatically open a specific Microsoft Office program whenever Microsoft Windows starts by doing one of the following:

Microsoft Windows Vista

1. Click the Start button , click All Programs, and then click Microsoft Office.
2. In the list of available Office programs, right-click the icon of the program or programs you want to start automatically, and then click Copy on the shortcut menu.
3. In the All Programs list, right-click the Startup folder, and then click Explore on the shortcut menu.
4. In the window that opens, click Organize, and then click Paste.

Keyboard shortcut  To paste your selection into the Startup folder more quickly, press CTRL+V.

The next time you start your computer, Windows automatically runs the program or programs that you have copied to the Startup folder.

Microsoft Windows XP

1. On the Start menu, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft Office.
2. In the list of available Office programs, right-click the icon of the program or programs you want to start automatically, and then click Copy on the shortcut menu.
3. In the All Programs list, right-click the Startup folder, and then click Explore on the shortcut menu.
4. On the Edit menu, click Paste.

Keyboard shortcut  To paste your selection into the Startup folder more quickly, press CTRL+V.

The next time you start your computer, Windows automatically runs the program or programs that you have copied to the Startup folder.

Excel > Customizing

Customize how Excel starts

Before you start Microsoft Office Excel, you can make sure that a specific workbook (workbook: A spreadsheet program file that you create in Excel. A workbook contains worksheets of rows and columns in which you can enter and calculate data.) or a workbook template or worksheet template (template: A workbook that you create and use as the basis for other similar workbooks. You can create templates for workbooks and worksheets. The default template for workbooks is called Book.xlt. The default template for worksheets is called Sheet.xlt.) that has custom settings opens automatically when you start Excel. If you no longer need a specific workbook to open, you can stop it from being opened when you start Excel.

If a workbook that is opened when you start Excel contains automatic macros, such as Auto_Open, those macros will run when the workbook opens. If needed, you can prevent them from running automatically when you start Excel.

Tip  You can also customize the way that Excel starts by adding command-line switches and parameters to the startup command.

For more information, see Command-line switches for Excel.

In this article

Automatically open a specific workbook when you start Excel

Stop a specific workbook from opening when you start Excel

Automatically open a workbook template or worksheet template when you start Excel

Prevent automatic macros from running when you start Excel

Automatically open a specific workbook when you start Excel

To automatically open a specific workbook when you start Excel, you can place that workbook in the XLStart folder, or you can use an alternate startup folder (alternate startup folder: A folder in addition to the XLStart folder that contains workbooks or other files that you want to be opened automatically when you start Excel and templates that you want to be available when you create new workbooks.) in addition to the XLStart folder.

Place a workbook in the XLStart folder

Any workbook, template, or workspace file (workspace file: A file that saves display information about open workbooks, so that you can later resume work with the same window sizes, print areas, screen magnification, and display settings. A workspace file doesn't contain the workbooks themselves.) that you place in the XLStart folder is automatically opened when you start Excel. This XLStart folder was created when you installed Excel, and is usually located in one of the following places.

• In Windows Vista, the path to the XLStart folder is usually:

C:\Users\user name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Excel\XLStart.

• In Microsoft Windows XP, the path to the XLStart folder is usually:

C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLStart.

Tip  You can locate the exact path to the XLStart folder in the Trust Center.

How to locate the XLStart folder

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Excel Options.
2. Click Trust Center, and then under Microsoft Office Excel Trust Center, click Trust Center Settings.
3. Click Trusted Locations, and then verify the path to the XLStart folder in the list of trusted locations.

Use an alternate startup folder

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , click Excel Options, and then click the Advanced category.
2. Under General, in the At Startup, open all files in box, type the full path of the folder that you want to use as the alternate startup folder.

 Caution    Because Excel will try to open every file in the alternate startup folder, make sure that you specify a folder that contains only files that Excel can open.

 Note    If a workbook with the same name is in both the XLStart folder and the alternate startup folder, the file in the XLStart folder opens.

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Stop a specific workbook from opening when you start Excel

Depending on the location of the workbook that is automatically opened when you start Excel, do any of the following to make sure that the workbook no longer opens upon startup.

• If the workbook is stored in the XLStart folder, remove it from that folder.
  • In Windows Vista, the path to the XLStart folder is usually:

C:\Users\user name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Excel\XLStart.

• In Microsoft Windows XP, the path to the XLStart folder is usually:

C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLStart.

• If the workbook is stored in the alternate startup folder, do the following:
  • Click the Microsoft Office Button , click Excel Options, and then click the Advanced category.
  • Under General, clear the contents of the At startup, open all files in box, and then click OK.
  • In Windows Explorer, remove any icon that starts Excel and automatically opens the workbook from the alternate startup folder.

Tip  You can also right-click that icon, click Properties, and then remove any references to the workbook on the Shortcut tab.

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Automatically open a workbook template or worksheet template when you start Excel

You can save workbook settings that you frequently use in a workbook template, and then automatically open that workbook template every time that you start Excel.

1. Do one of the following:
   • To use a workbook template, create a workbook that contains the sheets, default text (such as page headers and column and row labels), formulas, macros (macro: An action or a set of actions that you can use to automate tasks. Macros are recorded in the Visual Basic for Applications programming language.), styles (style: A combination of formatting characteristics, such as font, font size, and indentation, that you name and store as a set. When you apply a style, all of the formatting instructions in that style are applied at one time.), and other formatting that you want to use in new workbooks that will be based on the workbook template.
   • To use a worksheet template, create a workbook that contains one worksheet. On the worksheet, include the formatting, styles, text, and other information that you want to appear on all new worksheets that will be based on the worksheet template.

Settings that you can save in a workbook or worksheet template

• Cell and sheet formats.
• Page formats and print area (print area: One or more ranges of cells that you designate to print when you don't want to print the entire worksheet. If a worksheet includes a print area, only the print area is printed.) settings for each sheet.
• Cell styles.
• The number and type of sheets in a workbook.
• Protected and hidden areas of the workbook. You can hide sheets, rows, and columns and prevent changes to worksheet cells.
• Text you want to repeat, such as page headers and row and column labels.
• Data, graphics, formulas, charts, and other information.
• Data validation settings.
• Macros, hyperlinks (hyperlink: Colored and underlined text or a graphic that you click to go to a file, a location in a file, a Web page on the World Wide Web, or a Web page on an intranet. Hyperlinks can also go to newsgroups and to Gopher, Telnet, and FTP sites.), and ActiveX controls (ActiveX control: A control, such as a check box or button that offers options to users or runs macros or scripts that automate a task. You can write macros for the control in Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications or scripts in Microsoft Script Editor.) on forms.
• Workbook calculation options and window view options.
2. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Save As.
3. In the Save as type box, click Template.
4. In the Save in box, select the folder where you want to store the template.
   • To create the default workbook template (default workbook template: The Book.xlt template that you create to change the default format of new workbooks. Excel uses the template to create a blank workbook when you start Excel or create a new workbook without specifying a template.) or default worksheet template (default worksheet template: The Sheet.xlt template that you create to change the default format of new worksheets. Excel uses the template to create a blank worksheet when you add a new worksheet to a workbook.), select either the XLStart folder or the alternate startup folder.
     • In Windows Vista, the path to the XLStart folder is usually:

C:\Users\user name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Excel\XLStart.

• In Microsoft Windows XP, the path to the XLStart folder is usually:

C:\Documents and Settings\user name\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel\XLStart.

• To create a custom workbook or worksheet template, make sure that the Templates folder is selected.
  • In Windows Vista, the Templates folder is usually:

C:\Users\<user name>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates.

• In Microsoft Windows XP, the Templates folder is usually:

C:\Documents and Settings\<user name>\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates.

5. In the File name box, do one of the following:
   • To create the default workbook template, type Book.
   • To create the default worksheet template, type Sheet.
   • To create a custom workbook or worksheet template, type the name that you want to use.
6. Click Save.
7. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Close.

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Prevent automatic macros from running when you start Excel

Automatic macros (such as Auto_Open) that have been recorded in a workbook that opens when you start Excel will automatically run as soon as the workbook opens.

• To prevent macros from automatically running, hold down SHIFT while you start Excel.

Tip  For more information about automatic macros, see Run a macro.

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Excel > Customizing

Customize the Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar is a customizable toolbar that contains a set of commands that are independent of the tab that is currently displayed. You can move the Quick Access Toolbar from one of the two possible locations, and you can add buttons that represent commands to the Quick Access Toolbar.

What do you want to do?

Move the Quick Access Toolbar

Add a command to the Quick Access Toolbar

Move the Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access Toolbar can be located in one of two places:

• Upper-left corner next to the Microsoft Office Button (default location)
  
• Below the Ribbon, which is part of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface

If you don't want the Quick Access Toolbar to be displayed in its current location, you can move it to the other location. If you find that the default location next to the Microsoft Office Button is too far from your work area to be convenient, you may want to move it closer to your work area. The location below the Ribbon encroaches on the work area. Therefore, if you want to maximize the work area, you may want to keep the Quick Access Toolbar in its default location.

1. Click Customize Quick Access Toolbar .
2. In the list, click Show Below the Ribbon or Show Above the Ribbon.

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Add a command to the Quick Access Toolbar

You can add a command to the Quick Access Toolbar directly from commands that are displayed on the Office Fluent Ribbon.

1. On the Ribbon, click the appropriate tab or group to display the command that you want to add to the Quick Access Toolbar.
2. Right-click the command, and then click Add to Quick Access Toolbar on the shortcut menu.

 Notes 

• You cannot increase the size of the buttons representing the commands by an option in Microsoft Office. The only way to increase the size of the buttons is to lower the screen resolution you use.
• You cannot display the Quick Access Toolbar on multiple lines.
• Only commands can be added to the Quick Access Toolbar. The contents of most lists, such as indent and spacing values and individual styles, which also appear on the Ribbon, cannot be added to the Quick Access Toolbar.

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Excel > Customizing

Show or hide ScreenTips

ScreenTips are small windows that display descriptive text when you rest the pointer on a command or control.

Enhanced ScreenTips are larger windows that display more descriptive text than a ScreenTip and can have a link to a Help topic. Enhanced ScreenTips are available in the following 2007 Microsoft Office system programs: Access, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.

In the following 2007 Microsoft Office system programs: Access, Excel, PowerPoint, or Word

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Access Options, Excel Options, PowerPoint Options, or Word Options.
2. Click Popular.
3. Under Top options for working with Access, Top options for working with Excel, Top options for working with PowerPoint, or Top options for working with Word in the ScreenTip style list, click the option that you want:
   • Show feature descriptions in ScreenTips   This option turns on ScreenTips and Enhanced ScreenTips. This is the default setting.
   • Don't show feature descriptions in ScreenTips   This option turns off Enhanced ScreenTips. You still see ScreenTips.
   • Don't show ScreenTips   This option turns off ScreenTips and Enhanced ScreenTips.

In the following 2007 Microsoft Office system programs: Visio, InfoPath, OneNote, Publisher, SharePoint Designer, or Outlook

1. On the Tools menu, click Customize.
2. Click the Options tab.
3. Under Other, select or clear the Show ScreenTips on toolbars check box.

In Microsoft Office Project 2007

1. On the Tools menu, point to Customize, and click Toolbars.
2. On the Options tab, under Other, select or clear the Show ScreenTips on toolbars check box.

Excel > Customizing

Customize the status bar

The status bar at the bottom of Microsoft Office programs indicates whether options such as word count, signatures, permissions, change tracking, and macros are turned on or off. You can also use features such as Zoom on the status bar.

1. Right-click the status bar.
2. Click the options that you want.

Excel > Customizing

I don't see an E-mail command in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint

If you do not see an E-mail command, it might because you are using a Microsoft Office suite that does not include Microsoft Office Outlook, such as Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007. However, even if you install Outlook as a standalone program, you still might not see the command. For more information about how to see the E-mail command, see KB 918792: E-mail command is missing.

Excel > Customizing

Change the appearance of Office programs

Tags  change background; change color; change font; compatibility mode; Ribbon; style; themes

What are tags?

The appearance of the Ribbon, which is part of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface, in the 2007 Microsoft Office system follows the Office color scheme and the toolbars, buttons, menus, and dialog boxes in Microsoft Office follow the Microsoft Windows desktop theme settings on your computer. You can change the default Office color scheme and Windows desktop theme to customize the appearance of your Office programs.

What do you want to do?

Change the Office color scheme

Change the Windows desktop theme

Change the Office color scheme

You can customize the appearance of the Office Fluent Ribbon in Microsoft Office Access 2007, Microsoft Office Excel 2007, Microsoft Office Outlook 2007, Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007, or Microsoft Office Word 2007 by selecting one of the available color schemes.

 Notes 

• Blue is the default color scheme in all 2007 Office release programs that support this option.
• When you change the color scheme in one of these 2007 Office release programs, it changes for all of these programs.

Which 2007 Microsoft Office system program are you using?

Access

Excel

Outlook

PowerPoint

Word

Access

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Access Options.
2. Click Popular, and then click the Color scheme that you want.

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Excel

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Excel Options.
2. Click Popular, and then click the Color scheme that you want.

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Outlook

1. In an open item, click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Editor Options.
2. Click Popular, and then click the Color scheme that you want.

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PowerPoint

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click PowerPoint Options.
2. Click Popular, and then click the Color scheme that you want.

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Word

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Word Options.
2. Click Popular, and then click the Color scheme that you want.

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Change the Windows desktop theme

A Microsoft Windows theme determines the overall appearance of the user interface, except for the Ribbon, by providing a predefined set of icons, fonts, colors, mouse pointers, sounds, background pictures, and screen savers. You can apply any of the themes that are included with Windows, and you can customize an existing theme by changing its settings after the theme is applied.

Which operating system are you using?

Windows Vista

Windows XP

Windows Vista

1. Click the Start button , and then click Control Panel.
2. In Control Panel, click Appearance and Personalization, and then click Change the Theme.
3. In the Theme Settings dialog box, select the theme you want.

Tip  You can further enhance the look of the Windows and Office user interface by customizing the color scheme. In Control Panel, click Appearance and Personalization, and then click Customize colors.

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Microsoft Windows XP

1. On the Start menu, click Control Panel.
2. In Control Panel, click Appearance and Themes, and then click Change the computer's theme.
3. In the Display Properties dialog box, click the Appearance tab.
4. In the Windows and buttons list, click the style that you want.
5. In the Color scheme list, click the color scheme you want.

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Excel > Customizing

Change the program that starts when you open a file

Many types of files are registered in Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows XP to be opened by a particular program. For example, Notepad typically starts when you open a text (.txt) file. However, you can choose to start a specific program whenever you open a file of a certain type by doing one of the following:

Microsoft Windows Vista

1. Click the Start button , and then click Default Programs.
2. In the Default Programs window, click Associate a file type or protocol with a program.
3. In the Set Associations window, select the file type you want to open with a different program in the Name column, and then click Change program.
4. In the Open With dialog box, select the program you want to use, and then click OK.

Microsoft Windows XP

1. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, on the Tools menu, click Folder Options, and then click the File Types tab.
2. In the Registered file types list, click the file type you want to open with a different program, and then click Change.
3. In the Open With dialog box, select the program you want to use, and then click OK.
4. In the Folder Options dialog box, click OK.

Excel > Customizing

Create a desktop shortcut for an Office program

When the Microsoft Office programs are installed, you have the choice to create a desktop shortcut for the individual Office programs. However, if you don't create a desktop shortcut at the time you install Office, and you decide you want a desktop shortcut, you can easily create one.

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Microsoft Office, and then point to the Microsoft Office program for which you want to create a desktop shortcut.
2. Right-click the name of the program, point to Send To, and then click Desktop (Create shortcut).

A shortcut for the program appears on your desktop.

Excel > Customizing

I can't see a command on the Ribbon

Symptoms

When you look at the Ribbon, which is part of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface, you might not see all of the icons or the text that is used in some Help topics to describe the commands on the Office Fluent Ribbon.

Cause

The size of the Ribbon is optimized for a screen resolution of 1024 ׳ 786 pixels when the Microsoft Office program is maximized on your screen. The Help topics were written by using that standard size for the Ribbon.

For example, the full Insert tab in Microsoft Office Word 2007 shows all text and icons.

When you make the Ribbon smaller, the groups on the open tab begin to shrink horizontally and show a single icon. The most commonly used commands or features are left open as the program window shrinks.

 Note    When the user interface (UI) is not displayed full size, the icons might not be displayed in the same order as before. For example, icons that were displayed on one row may be displayed three rows deep.

The following shows the Text group on the Insert tab when the Ribbon is made smaller and only one icon appears.

The following shows the Text group after you click the arrow under the Text group icon.

Resolution

Do one of the following:

• Resize or maximize (cover the full screen) your Microsoft Office program.
• For more information about the command or option, rest your pointer on the icon to see the ScreenTip (ScreenTip: A short description that appears when the user holds the mouse pointer over an object, such as a button or hyperlink.).

See Also

• Use the Ribbon

Excel > Add-ins

Load the Analysis ToolPak

The Analysis ToolPak is a Microsoft Office Excel add-in (add-in: A supplemental program that adds custom commands or custom features to Microsoft Office.) program that is available when you install Microsoft Office or Excel. To use it in Excel, however, you need to load it first.

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Excel Options.
2. Click Add-Ins, and then in the Manage box, select Excel Add-ins.
3. Click Go.
4. In the Add-Ins available box, select the Analysis ToolPak check box, and then click OK.

Tip  If Analysis ToolPak is not listed in the Add-Ins available box, click Browse to locate it.

If you get prompted that the Analysis ToolPak is not currently installed on your computer, click Yes to install it.

5. After you load the Analysis ToolPak, the Data Analysis command is available in the Analysis group on the Data tab.

 Note    To include Visual Basic for Application (VBA) functions for the Analysis ToolPak, you load the Analysis ToolPak - VBA add-in the same way that you load the Analysis ToolPak. In the Add-ins available box, select the Analysis ToolPak - VBA check box, and then click OK.

Related Office Online discussions

Read related questions and answers from other Microsoft Office customers.

• How do I install the Data Analysis Toolkit from Office Basic CD?
• With Student and Teacher Edition, can I add analysis tool pack?
• How can you access Data Analysis Plus for MS Excel?
• Where is the Analysis Group in Excel?

See Also

• Load the Solver Add-in

Excel > Add-ins

Load or unload add-in programs

There are different types of add-in programs for Microsoft Office Excel that provide optional commands and features:

• Excel add-ins, such as the Analysis ToolPak and the Solver Add-in, are available when you install Microsoft Office or Excel.
• Additional add-ins for Excel can be downloaded from Downloads on Microsoft Office Online.
• Developers and solution providers usually design custom Component Object Model (COM) add-ins (COM add-in: A supplemental program that extends the capabilities of a Microsoft Office program by adding custom commands and specialized features. COM add-ins can run in one or more Office programs. COM add-ins use the file name extension .dll or .exe.) and automation add-ins.

You must load an add-in before you can use it. After loading the add-in, the add-in program and its commands are available in one of the following locations:

• Data tab. The Analysis ToolPak and Solver Add-in are displayed in the Analysis group.
• Formulas tab. The Conditional Sum Wizard, Euro Currency Tools, Eurotool, and Lookup Wizard are displayed in the Solutions group.
• Add-Ins tab. The Add-Ins tab is added to the Ribbon, a component of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface, when you load the first add-in for that tab. If you don't see the Add-Ins tab, you should exit Excel and restart it.

What do you want to do?

Load or unload an Excel add-in program

Load or unload a COM add-in program

Load or unload an automation add-in program

Load or unload an Excel add-in program

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Excel Options.
2. Click the Add-Ins category.
3. In the Manage box, click Excel Add-ins, and then click Go.
4. To load an Excel add-in, do the following:
   1. In the Add-Ins available box, select the check box next to the add-in that you want to load, and then click OK.

Tip  If the add-in that you want to use is not listed in the Add-Ins available box, click Browse, and then locate the add-in. Add-ins that are not available on your computer can be downloaded from Downloads on Office Online.

2. If the add-in is not currently installed on your computer, click Yes to install it.

Tip  Follow the setup instructions as needed.

5. To unload an Excel add-in, do the following:
   1. In the Add-Ins available box, clear the check box next to the add-in that you want to unload, and then click OK.
   2. To remove the add-in from the Office Fluent Ribbon, restart Excel.

 Note    Unloading or removing an add-in from the Ribbon does not delete the add-in from your computer. To delete the add-in from your computer, you must uninstall it.

How to uninstall an add-in

1. Quit all programs.
2. In Windows Vista, click the Start button , click Control Panel, click Programs, and then click Programs and Features.

In Microsoft Windows XP, click the click the Start button, click Control Panel, and then double-click Add/Remove Programs.

3. Do one of the following:

If you installed Excel as part of Microsoft Office, click Microsoft Office in the list of installed programs, and then click the Change button.

If you installed Excel individually, click the name of your program in the list of installed programs, and then click the Change button.

4. Follow the instructions on the screen.

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Load or unload a COM add-in program

Important  If you are a developer, you can use this procedure to load or unload a COM add-in before you design installation and removal programs for your add-in. If you are not a developer, you should not need to use this procedure. Contact the system administrator who provided the add-in if you want installation and removal instructions.

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Excel Options.
2. Click the Add-Ins category.
3. In the Manage box, click COM Add-ins, and then click Go.
4. To load a COM add-in, in the Add-Ins available box, select the check box next to the add-in that you want to load, and then click OK.

Tip  If the add-in that you want to use is not listed in the Add-Ins available box, click Add, and then locate the add-in.

5. To unload a COM add-in, do one of the following:
   • In the Add-Ins available box, clear the check box next to the add-in that you want to unload, and then click OK.

 Note    This unloads the add-in from memory but keeps its name in the list of available add-ins. It does not delete the add-in from your computer.

• To remove a COM add-in from the list of available add-ins and to delete the add-in from your computer, click its name in the Add-ins available box, and then click Remove.

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Load or unload an automation add-in program

Important  If you are a developer, you can use this procedure to load or unload an automation program before you design installation and removal programs for your add-in. If you are not a developer, you should not need to use this procedure. Contact the system administrator who provided the add-in if you want installation and removal instructions.

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Excel Options.
2. Click the Add-Ins category.
3. In the Manage box, click Excel Add-ins, and then click Go.
4. To load an automation add-in, click Automation, and then click the add-in that you want in the Automation servers available box.

Tip  If the add-in that you want isn't in the list, click Browse, locate the add-in, and then click OK.

5. To unload an automation add-in, you must remove it from the registry. See your system administrator for details.

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Excel > Add-ins

Load the Solver Add-in

The Solver Add-in is a Microsoft Office Excel add-in (add-in: A supplemental program that adds custom commands or custom features to Microsoft Office.) program that is available when you install Microsoft Office or Excel. To use it in Excel, however, you need to load it first.

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button , and then click Excel Options.
2. Click Add-Ins, and then in the Manage box, select Excel Add-ins.
3. Click Go.
4. In the Add-Ins available box, select the Solver Add-in check box, and then click OK.

Tip  If Solver Add-in is not listed in the Add-Ins available box, click Browse to locate the add-in.

If you get prompted that the Solver Add-in is not currently installed on your computer, click Yes to install it.

5. After you load the Solver Add-in, the Solver command is available in the Analysis group on the Data tab.

See Also

• Load the Analysis ToolPak