Excel

Post by **vickyg2003** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 8:52 am

This may seem a little off topic, but it is JP1 related and since this group really makes use of excel I thought I'd ask.

My workbook keeps getting bigger and bigger, everytime I save it. I'm an excel newbie and I did some stupid things like formating columns and rows instead of cell ranges. So I cleared all on the unused areas in all my worksheets, and saved it and it got even bigger!

Any tips on how to shrink this monster?

dspille · Post by **dspille** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:29 am

You don't by any chance have "track changes" enabled do you? (Tools-Track Changes).

underquark · Post by **underquark** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 9:59 am

Beware trusting Excel with large (or mission-critical) spreadsheets as they sometimes leap in size and then fail to open - usually just before a tax return is due. Best copy the data (select range, [ctrl]-c, [Alt]-esv) to a new workbook.

Post by **ElizabethD** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 6:04 pm

Vicky,
If the spreadsheet is KM, then I don't know, never saw it get bigger and bigger.

If it;s some other spreadsheet, it's likely you have some cells filled well out of range of what you think you're using, or your may have formatted entire rows or entire columns while adding something like borders or other cosmetic stuff. Also, remember, hitting spacebar over some text in a cell instead of the delete key (in order to delete data) fills the cell with spaces, so excel has to think it's really important data there

That said, put the cursor on cell A1. Now click Ctrl-End. Is it at the end of your data, where you think it should be, or some other place. What is the cell address? and what is the cell address you think data ends.
I might help you more if you tell me. And UQ is right - backup, backup, backup, version numbers and all.

Excel space-use CAN be tamed. BTW which excel version are we talking about?

Post by **vickyg2003** » Sat Mar 21, 2009 6:17 pm

You don't by any chance have "track changes" enabled do you? (Tools-Track Changes).

No, but now I know about it. Thanks for the tip.

If the spreadsheet is KM, then I don't know, never saw it get bigger and bigger.

If it;s some other spreadsheet, it's likely you have some cells filled well out of range of what you think you're using, or your may have formatted entire rows or entire columns while adding something like borders or other cosmetic stuff. Also, remember, hitting spacebar over some text in a cell instead of the delete key (in order to delete data) fills the cell with spaces, so excel has to think it's really important data there

No, it was my a JP1 spreadsheet that I'm putting together. Apparently in my quest to get it right, I did something terribly wrong. It was gaining a half a meg with every save. I ended up rebuilding the entire sheet and the problem stopped.

I just hope I never have that happen again! I really dislike excel.