How do I find "invalid external reference"?

  • Thread starter Thread starter excel M
  • Start date Start date
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excel M

I have modified an Excel spreadsheet in Office (on a Dell Pentium II,
450MHz), and now am using "Save As" to save it.

When I save it I get the Microsoft Excel Alert (yellow triangle with
exclamation mark) with the message:
"Your formula contains an invalid reference to an external worksheet".

I am not aware there is a formula in the worksheet that links to an
external worksheet. I guess I have inadvertently created one.

How do I find which formula this refers to?
Can I ask for a listing of all formula that link to external
worksheets?

I just don't know where to start looking for the problem.

Thanks,
 
I have modified an Excel spreadsheet in Office (on a Dell Pentium II,
450MHz), and now am using "Save As" to save it.

When I save it I get the Microsoft Excel Alert (yellow triangle with
exclamation mark) with the message:
"Your formula contains an invalid reference to an external worksheet".

I am not aware there is a formula in the worksheet that links to an
external worksheet. I guess I have inadvertently created one.

How do I find which formula this refers to?
Can I ask for a listing of all formula that link to external
worksheets?
Click to expand...

Use Edit > Links to find the names of the files Excel thinks you're trying to
link, then use Edit > Find to try to locate them. If you don't find any, you
could try

http://www.google.com/[email protected]
 
You may have a defined name on one or more sheets that is linked to another
workbook. Check there.

You could do an Edit>Find on "["(no quotes) but there is an easier method.

Download Bill Manville's FINDLINK.XLA from Stephen Bullen's site.

http://www.bmsltd.co.uk/MVP/Default.htm

With this add-in you can find and delete links.

Gord Dibben Excel MVP
 
If you are able to upgrade to Excel XP, you can break any unwante
external links with one click.

Otherwise, you can download a free add in that makes it easy to fin
and break external links.

If you can't find a free download on your own, email me a
(e-mail address removed) and I'll send you one
 
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