Bug in Excel 2003 Subtotal Function

[Clint Erickson]

How do you report a bug in the Excel 2003 subtotal
function to Microsoft? There are numerous issues with
subtotal breaks greater than two. With three subtotal
breaks the final grand totals are not consistent. With
four subtotal breaks there should be 6 total levels in
the upper left hand corner of the work area - there are
only 5. I am trying to find out if Microsoft is aware of
this problem and if there is a hot fix. A simple test to
see the errors is to sort and subtotal the same data set
in Excel 2000/XP and in Excel 2003. Look at the totals
at the end of the worksheet to see the differences /
errors and look at the number of subtotal levels in the
upper left-hand corner of the work area. Any one know
how to notify Microsoft of this problem and to see if
there is a hot fix. Thanks.

 

[JulieD]

Hi Clint

as to your actual question on how to report bugs to MS i've really got no
idea ... but

i've just tried to replicate your problem on excel 2003 and although i am
only using a v.small dataset i can't seem to get the same result as you - it
works fine for me up to 6 levels of subtotals with 8 total levels in the
upper left corner

how many records are you using? have you tried the problem with a smaller
dataset? does it work with that or not?

Cheers
JulieD

 

[Harlan Grove]

How do you report a bug in the Excel 2003 subtotal
function to Microsoft? There are numerous issues with
subtotal breaks greater than two. With three subtotal
breaks the final grand totals are not consistent. With
four subtotal breaks there should be 6 total levels in
the upper left hand corner of the work area - there are
only 5. I am trying to find out if Microsoft is aware of
this problem and if there is a hot fix. A simple test to
see the errors is to sort and subtotal the same data set
in Excel 2000/XP and in Excel 2003. Look at the totals
at the end of the worksheet to see the differences /
errors and look at the number of subtotal levels in the
upper left-hand corner of the work area. Any one know
how to notify Microsoft of this problem and to see if
there is a hot fix. Thanks.

The way to inform Microsoft of bugs is to call the Microsoft support phone
number for your country and pay Microsoft for the priviledge of reporting the
bug. If Microsoft agrees that the functionality in question does represent a
bug, they'll reverse the charge (though I'd bet after they earn a few days of
float on the funds). Apparently the world's richest software company (unless
Oracle has passed them up) is incapable of providing (or, far more likely,
unwilling to provide) free online bug reporting. The old concept of 'service
with a smile' has been replaced by 'service after a shakedown'.

I believe the following is still the most recent guidelines given by a Microsoft
employee.

http://www.google.com/[email protected]