Many menu options are grayed-out

[Eric_NY]

I've received an Excel file by email. I'm opening it in Excel 2003.

It seems like a normal sheet - a table of text data in six columns. But some
of the menu options are grayed-out. Here are the menu choices that are grayed
out:

On the Format menu: Conditional Formatting
On the Insert menu: Chart, Symbol, Diagram, Object, Hyperlink
On the Data menu: Subtotals, Validation, Table, and PivotTable

I can make changes to the sheet without problems, and I can't see anything
unusual about the sheet.

I can copy the table to another sheet, and there are no problems there. But
I'm still puzzled why some menu options are unavailable.

Any ideas why these menu options are unavailable?

Thanks.

 

[EricG]

Is the workbook shared? You will see "[Shared]" in the Excel window title if
it is. When a workbook is shared, certain functions are disabled.

HTH,

Eric

 

[Eric_NY]

Yes, that's the problem.

Thanks.

I have to admit that I don't know exactly how the "shared" functionality
works. It seems especially odd that an email attachment would be "shared". I
can understand it on a file on a network, that multiple people can open. But
I'm not sure what it would mean on a stand-alone copy.

Maybe it's time for me to learn about shared workbooks.

Is the workbook shared? You will see "[Shared]" in the Excel window title if
it is. When a workbook is shared, certain functions are disabled.

HTH,

Eric

I've received an Excel file by email. I'm opening it in Excel 2003.

It seems like a normal sheet - a table of text data in six columns. But some
of the menu options are grayed-out. Here are the menu choices that are grayed
out:

On the Format menu: Conditional Formatting
On the Insert menu: Chart, Symbol, Diagram, Object, Hyperlink
On the Data menu: Subtotals, Validation, Table, and PivotTable

I can make changes to the sheet without problems, and I can't see anything
unusual about the sheet.

I can copy the table to another sheet, and there are no problems there. But
I'm still puzzled why some menu options are unavailable.

Any ideas why these menu options are unavailable?

Thanks.

 

[EricG]

Unless it's password protected, you can "unshare" the workbook and make it a
standalone file if you want. Just go to "Tools/Share Workbook..." and
uncheck the box that starts with "Allow changes by more than one user"

Yes, that's the problem.

Thanks.

I have to admit that I don't know exactly how the "shared" functionality
works. It seems especially odd that an email attachment would be "shared". I
can understand it on a file on a network, that multiple people can open. But
I'm not sure what it would mean on a stand-alone copy.

Maybe it's time for me to learn about shared workbooks.

Is the workbook shared? You will see "[Shared]" in the Excel window title if
it is. When a workbook is shared, certain functions are disabled.

HTH,

Eric

I've received an Excel file by email. I'm opening it in Excel 2003.

It seems like a normal sheet - a table of text data in six columns. But some
of the menu options are grayed-out. Here are the menu choices that are grayed
out:

On the Format menu: Conditional Formatting
On the Insert menu: Chart, Symbol, Diagram, Object, Hyperlink
On the Data menu: Subtotals, Validation, Table, and PivotTable

I can make changes to the sheet without problems, and I can't see anything
unusual about the sheet.

I can copy the table to another sheet, and there are no problems there. But
I'm still puzzled why some menu options are unavailable.

Any ideas why these menu options are unavailable?

Thanks.