Find a file when I don't know what it is named?

[pasta]

In Excel or Word2007 how do you find a file that you do not remember what you
named it or where you filed it? In Excel or Word 2003 I could enter a word
in the file and it would bring up all documents with that work in it.

 

[JLatham]

Well, there's always the huge search for filename using either
*.xls* for Excel files, or even *.xl*
and same for Word:
*.doc or *.do*

Start at either My Documents or My Computer and go have a cup of coffee or
three if you have done a lot of Excel or Word work on the system. Then of
cours you have the task of trying to figure out which of the myriad members
of the returned list is THE ONE you really want.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Agent Ransack is very good tool for locating files with a specific word,
phrase or number contained therein.

http://www.mythicsoft.com/agentransack/Page.aspx?page=download

Free and easy to use.

Install then point it to your Folders where the files reside.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[veryeavy]

This functionality is available via Windows Explorer.

Additional hints:

- Try to restrict your search to the highest level (or toppest level as one
of my colleagues so eloquently put it) at which you reasonably might expect
to have saved it.

- sometimes you might get lucky and know that your file might contain a
slightly unusual letter like a Q, X or Z and then you can search accordingly
e.g. *Z*.xls

- Restrict your search based on date accessed or date modified.

I frequently have this problem but normally managed to retrieve the file
after attacking the problem from several different angles.

I wish you luck.

Best Regards,

Matt

 

[AnotherNewGuy]

You can restrict the search to files saved during the last week to reduce the
number substantially. Also, the results can be sorted by date by changing
the view to "View details" and clicking on the "Date Modified" header. Click
it twice, and the last file saved will float to the top.