Opening files invoking separate instances of Excel

[johnjohns]

Dear All

When I am double clicking on Excel files from windows explorer a separate instance of Excel is opened everytime. So Copy Paste formulas, formats etc are not possible. I need all the files to be opened in the same instance of excel. I am using Excel 2010 with Windows 7.

[DaveDeV]

Hi JJ,

I understand that Office 2013 allows Copy/Paste of formulae/formats across multiple running copies of Excel 2013 (I may be wrong, so you should check on the web or await confirmation from someone more confident of the situation).

On Windows7/Office 2010, if you open a second file by clicking on the file name in Windows Explorer, it opens it as a 2nd instance.

If you have Excel "pinned" to the Win7 taskbar at the bottom of the screen, left-clicking on the icon will open a 2nd instance while right-clicking on the icon will open a 2nd copy of Excel 2010.

I hope that helps...

Dave

[newdoverman]

If you select the Excel files in Windows Explorer by holding down the CTRL key (for separated files in the list of files) or SHIFT key (for contiguous files in the file listing) while selecting then right clicking and choosing OPEN all the selected files will be opened as a single instance and you can copy and paste normally between the opened files.