Excel 2010 displays #name? but Excel 2003 displays values of UDF

**heywhat** · 11-02-2011, 10:01 AM

Searching has failed to come up with any information and would appreciate any help!

In short, I have a add-in on my Excel 2010 that my coworker does not have. When he had 2003 he could open the file and see the values. He was just upgraded to 2010 and now instead of values he sees #name?. Is there a setting in 2010 that needs to be changed so it doesn't try to calculate the UDF? Details below

I have a FactSet Excel add-in that pulls in various financial metrics via custom functions. An example of a code used is =fds(“GE”,”FG_price(now)”) which displays GE's stock price of 16.32.

Previously, when my coworker opened the file (saved as xls) Excel 2003 would open the file and not try to calculate the formulas but rather show the values even though he does not have the add-in (i.e. the formulas are still there but showing the values, if he had excel calculate the cell he would then get the #name? error).

He was recently upgraded to 2010 and now Excel is apparently trying to calculate the formulas upon open and displays #name? error.

Is there a setting that I can change that will make my coworker's Excel 2010 display the values instead of the #name? error as in before? He will not be able to get the add-in as it is very expensive.

Tested so far:

Another coworker that has Excel 2007 and no add-in opened the file and it displayed the values
Saving the file in xlsx format still displayed the #name? error
I do not have another Excel 2010 with no add-in to test on

My computer: XP Pro 64 bit, Excel 2010 32 bit w/ addin
Coworker 1:

Current (#name?): XP Pro 64 bit, Excel 2010 32 bit, does not have addin. Opening file results in #name? for UDFs
Previous (works): XP Pro 64 bit, Excel 2003, does not have addin. Opening files displayed the values (formulas were still there)

Coworker2:

Current (works): XP Pro 64 bit, Excel 2007. Opening file displays the values (formulas are still there).

Appreciate the help!

**Pauleyb** · 11-02-2011, 10:15 AM

Wild guesses:

1) Save the file as an earlier version of Excel
2) Turn off the auto-calculate feature on your and/or co-worker's system (this would be a pain)

Pauley

**heywhat** · 11-02-2011, 10:55 AM

Originally Posted by Pauleyb

Wild guesses:

1) Save the file as an earlier version of Excel
2) Turn off the auto-calculate feature on your and/or co-worker's system (this would be a pain)

Pauley

Thanks for the suggestions Pauley.

1.

Tried saving it as the Excel 5.0, same error
2. Turning off autocalc isn't an option and I don't think it prevents the #name? errors. Previously, a user could work on the sheet and Excel would calculate formulas but ignore the UDF (unless you directly changed the UDF formula, then you got the #name? error)

When I had Excel 2003 I remember that anyone that opened the file that didn't have add-in got the #name? errors. This went away when I got Excel 2007.

I am starting to think Excel has some sort of feature that prevents the calculation of unknown functions when saved by a newer version of excel. Does anyone know if this is the case?

And if so, is there a way to turn it on or to "trick" excel into thinking it needs to turn on this feature?