Errors created in executable file - SOLVED

I created a workbook containing 5 sheets with no macros and 2 buttons containing hyperlinks. I’m using Excel 2007 (v12) on Windows 10 Pro. After creating my executable file using xlspadlock the workbook contains both errors (#VALUE) and strange totals in cells using the “SUM” function. The cells that are summed are blank. What am I doing wrong? Thanks for your help.

Some Excel functions are not supported by the formula protection of XLS Padlock. See our user guide for more explanation. https://www.xlspadlock.com/doc/XLSPadlock-Guide.pdf

1 Like

Thanks much. All is fixed. Seems I was protecting way too many formulas. I instead opted to use the “Protect Worksheet” facility in Excel and protected and hid all necessary formulas. Works well and lasts a long time as they say.

Dave O

Hi @gdgsupport, I too have never used the protect formula feature until today, but was shocked when SUM doesn’t work. It’s okay that it doesn’t but do you have a cheat sheet of which functions won’t work? The pdf documentation only lists INDIRECT function and advises against data validation, doesn’t say which formulas to avoid.

Thanks
Dan

So it seems the formulas DO work, but they show up as “ERROR” unless the user double clicks on them and then presses Enter. Why do you suppose this is happening?

50%20PM

50%20PMa

50%20PMb

Then when I protect and open protected version:

Then I must double click each formula…

Thanks

Dan

Which Excel version do you use? Could you send us the EXE you built (or the workbook file)?

Apologies for the delay. There’s an advanced setting I stumbled upon to calculate all formulas upon workbook opening, which recalculated these and the error went away. I suppose my setup was one of the perfect storms that this advanced setting was created for.

Thanks

Dan

Thanks for the follow-up!