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Known Issues for different versions of Excel

Contents

	Excel - all versions
	Excel 2007
	Excel 2003
	Excel 2002 XP
	Excel 2000
	Macintosh
	97 or earlier
	International Language versions

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Excel - all versions

Features that don’t work correctly with ANY Microsoft Excel workbook (not just a Systems2win template)

Known issue

Work Around

	Tools > Share Workbook
	Tools > Track Changes
	Tools > Compare & Merge Workbooks

Use a specially-formatted Team Communications non-printing text box that provided by Systems2win to make team communications easy.

Right-click shape > Order > Bring Forward or Back

Use Bring To Front or Send To Back instead.

When you ungroup, group, or regroup a shape, the properties revert to Move and Size with cells.

If you want different move & size properties, you just need to remember to reset the properties whenever you ungroup, group, or regroup.
Right-click shape > Format > Properties

Features disabled by copy protection

A few of the Systems2win Excel templates are copy-protected for various reasons - with various features enabled and disabled. Due to Excel limitations, the following functions are always disabled in any copy-protected worksheet:

Feature disabled by copy protection	Work Around
Edit > Fill > Series	Create your fill series in an unprotected worksheet, then copy it
Edit > Replace	Use Edit > Find, then manually replace
Insert > Picture	Paste a picture copied to clipboard instead
Format > Sheet > Background	Paste a picture copied to clipboard instead
Insert > Picture > WordArt	View > Tools > WordArt instead
Format > Cells > Alignment > Merge Cells	Use a text box for odd-size data - snapped to grid so that it looks and acts just like a merged cell
Tools > Spell Check	Copy any suspect words (or the entire worksheet) into an unprotected document to check spelling
Tools > Error Checking and Tools > Formula Auditing > Trace Errors	Use Formula Auditing Mode, and Evaluate Formulas instead (And Systems2win has already programmed 99% of the formulas you need, so being locked is actually a safety feature to keep you from messing up your formulas)
Tools > Macro	All Systems2win templates already have Visual Basic code that has been locked, which prevents the creation of additional macros within a Systems2win workbook. As workarounds, you can 1) write your macro in another workbook (that applies its actions to your target workbook), 2) use keyboard macro software, 3) ask us to consider adding your desired feature as part of standard base code
The only thing you can do from the Data menu is Sort	These features would mess up any Systems2win template that is copy protected, so this is actually a safety feature. And for that matter, be very careful when using Sort.
Data > Import External Data	Use simple formulas that link one spreadsheet with data from another

Issues with specific Systems2win templates - all versions of Excel

Disabled menu items to delete or rename sheets

Templates affected: Excel templates with version release dates between November 10, 2006 and March 15, 2007

Problem: Excel menu option to delete or rename worksheets is greyed out and disabled
Can appear as a result of using Systems2win Excel templates with version release dates between November 10, 2006 and March 15, 2007.

Happens when:
1) Any workbook is open to a worksheet named SampleHelp.
Note: The purpose of greying out the menu options is to prevent you from accidentally deleting a SampleHelp worksheet. The problem is that the menu items are still greyed out for all worksheets on other workbooks if you have a any workbook open to a worksheet named SampleHelp.
Solution:
Make sure no workbooks are open to a worksheet named SampleHelp.

2) Under unusual circumstances, the menu items can remain greyed out - even after your Systems2win template has been closed.
Solution:
Download and use this FixRename file.
Then upgrade your templates

Keep your templates updated!

We are "all about continuous improvement", and are constantly working on your behalf to improve your tools for continuous improvement, so keep an eye on what's new, and keep your upgrades current.

Excel 2007

Our initial experience with Office 2007 is that most of the Word templates convert without a problem.

Tips for converting to Office 2007 file format.

Executive Summary of our opinion of Strengths & Weaknesses of Excel 2007

Strengths of Excel 2007

	Faster learning curve for people who have never used Office before.
	Easier to do some of the most common tasks.
	More mistake-proofing.
	Greater use of keyboard shortcuts.
	Can support larger file spreadsheets.

Weaknesses of Excel 2007

	Still has unresolved bugs.
	Less stable.
	Slower than previous versions.
	User interface is redesigned enough that experienced users will need to take time off from productive work to become re-trained.
	Experienced 2000-2003 users will find themselves yearning for familiar toolbars (especially user-defined toolbars)

Our advice?

	Purchase Office 2007 for your newest users.
	It might be a while before your power users will want to give up their Office 2003.

Excel 2007 issues

Excel 2007 issue

Work Around

Slow.

Power users should be using Office 2003.

If you need to retain compatibility with others in your team still using lower versions of Office, you will need to save files in "compatibility mode", which is even slower than native Office 2007 format, which is already substantially slower than the speeds you used to enjoy with Office 2003.

Shapes sometimes appear zoomed to 100% when rest of page has different zoom.

View > Zoom > 100%.
Then View > Zoom > to the percent that you want.
The shapes will now be sized correctly.
(This seems to happen only in Excel 2007 running on Windows Vista. If you experience this running on Windows XP, please let us know.)

Charts don't line up like they used to

The Gantt Chart, Standard Work Combination Sheet, and QFD charts have the following issue:

When rows are added, deleted, hidden, or unhidden - the chart needs to be manually re-aligned

Charts have been completely redesigned in Office 2007, and chart features are far inferior. Yet another reason that your power users will want to remain on Office 2003 as long as possible.

Version 5 DecisionPICK Matrix does automatically apply chart labels in Excel 2007

Upgrade to version 6 or higher

Textboxes containing formulas
(such as field labels in Standard Work and Job Instructions)
don't automatically refresh
(for example when you change data for a field label on the VC worksheet, it should automatically update every textbox on every worksheet that has a linked formula)
until you hit "Enter" at the end of the formula

The first time that you change data for a field label (usually on the VC worksheet),
you must go to each textbox with a formula linked to that cell - and in the formula bar, place your cursor at the end of the formula - and press the "Enter" key.

After doing this once, from then on the formula in the textbox will automatically refresh just the way it used to in Excel 2003. (before Microsoft "improved" it)

If no printer is set up, when the Generate Report button is pushed in the Job Instructions workbook, it gives "LeftFooter property" error.

Set up a printer.

After running Print Preview, the Add-ins menu tab disappears

Either restart Excel,
or use File > New
See optional ways to find and open your Systems2win templates

With old versions of Systems2win templates, Office 2007 generates errors that earlier versions don't.

Upgrade to version 6 or higher

Several old version templates won't work at all in Excel 2007

Upgrade to version 6 or higher

FAQ: Can we still purchase older versions of Microsoft Office?

Yes. Option 1) Used software on eBay.

Option 2) Volume licensing through Microsoft (for as few as 5 seats)

For a full list of version compatibility for each of our templates - refer to FAQ.

Excel 2003

For some templates released prior to December 2006, when you open the template in Excel 2003, you might get the following error message:

If you select "No", then you will disable the conditional formatting to highlight cells containing formulas. This is a very useful feature, so we suggest to select "yes" to enable the Excel 4.0 macros.

In November 2006, this functionality was replaced with a version that no longer gives the above warning message, and with version 5+ we provided a second optional way to highlight cells containing formulas. Yet another reason to keep your templates upgraded.

Excel 2002 XP

Some versions of TrialGantt give an initial error, but still work.

Excel 2000

Systems2win version 5 was the last version to support Excel 2000.

Although most Systems2win templates still work in Excel 2000, Systems2win will no longer provide support for Excel 2000 after your company's current version 5 maintenance period expires.

IE7 and Excel 2000	Work Around
If your computer has BOTH Excel 2000 and Internet Explorer 7... IE7 is not compatible with shapes that have hyperlinks. It either: a) Deletes the shape upon opening the file, or b) Crashes Excel	Excel 2000 requires Internet Explorer version 6 or lower. (We're doing all we can to help you stay on Excel 2000 as long as possible, but Microsoft is "encouraging" you to upgrade by making IE7 incompatible with Excel 2000) Either upgrade Excel, or uninstall IE7 (which will roll back to IE6).

To get around all of the following limitations of Excel 2000, we suggest one or more of the following:

a. Purchase at least one licensed copy of Windows Excel 2002 or 2003, and use it to do the things that Excel 2000 or lower can't do. (Tip: You can work with a file 99% of the time in a lower version of Excel, then open that file in a higher version to make the editing change that can't be done in the lower version, save it, then open the same file in the lower version again and continue working.)

b. Purchase at least one licensed copy of Excel 2002 or 2003, and have your IT Department install it as a "service" on one of your servers - so that anyone in your company can access and use it. (This is not a license violation, because only one person can use it at a time.)

c. Upgrade Excel for at least your power users.

Limitation of Excel 2000 or Mac	Work Around
Columns and rows cannot be inserted, deleted, resized, hidden, or unhidden on any locked worksheet	1. Unlock the worksheet. (The only template that can't be unlocked is the Value Stream Map.) 2. Use a higher version of Excel to save your template with with rows and/or columns already appropriately hidden or unhidden - so that the template is ready to use for a typical process in your company.
Can't just type text into some object shapes	To enter text into some objects, you must ungroup them, and then re-group them when finished entering text. Tip: When you ungroup or regroup a shape, you might need to Right-click > Format > Properties > Move but don't size with cells
AutoShapes can be rotated using the green rotate handle, but pictures cannot be rotated.	1. To overcome this limitation, Systems2win has provided a palette of shapes in rotated positions (for those shapes most commonly needed to be rotated). 2. Use a higher version of Excel to rotate shapes, then re-open the same file in your lower version of Excel and continue editing.
Links to help web pages work in Excel worksheets, drawings, and link objects, but don't work when you click a link button in a dialog box or user form created using Visual Basic.	Links to all relevant help pages can be found on the Sample or Help pages.
AutoFilter doesn't work on locked worksheets (such as Sample Help sheets)	Any Systems2win template that uses AutoFilter is unlocked. So even though AutoFilter won't work on the Sample worksheet, it will work on the Template worksheet.
Some templates simply are not supported for Excel 2000	The following templates require Excel 2002 or higher: Pareto Chart, Six Sigma Tree Diagrams, the Organization Chart, and Visual Work Instructions.
Does not support organization charts - or the Six Sigma tree diagrams which are built upon the foundation of Excel organization charts.	1. You can use the org chart templates as a starting point to draw and format your org chart or tree diagram without benefit of the advanced organization chart toolbar. 2. Use Excel 2002 or 2003 for these (rarely-used) tasks.
Some Systems2win templates purchased prior to March 2005 are subject to the following known limitations of Excel 2000 or Macintosh: a. Hyperlinks cannot be added. b. Columns and rows cannot be added, deleted, resized, hidden, or unhidden.	To overcome these limitations - either: a) update your Systems2win templates b) upgrade your Excel c) follow the above instructions for getting around the limitations of Excel 2000 or Macintosh
Systems2win templates - version 5.1 or higher
Highlight Formulas macro does not work with locked worksheets in Excel 2000
Some templates have formulas that require a Systems2win Automation Add-in (which is not supported by Excel 2000).	By special request, some templates can be delivered in a special format that supports Excel 2000.

If you are are experiencing issues with any template other than ones specified above, consider updating.

Macintosh

As of May, 2007 Systems2win templates are no longer supported on the Macintosh version of Office.

You can, however, on a newer Intel-based Macintosh partition your drive and use a Windows version of Office for most of your Office needs. If you also have a version of Macintosh Office installed on the Mac partition, you can save & share files - but power users will be much happier using Windows Office.

Limitation of Macintosh version	Work Around
Same limitations as Excel 2000	The Macintosh version of Excel is (still) founded upon Excel 2000, and therefore has most of the same issues - plus a few of its own.
Right-click	Control-click

Excel 97 or earlier

Not supported. Not a good choice for using Systems2win drawing templates. The shortcomings become greater and greater with each prior version.

International Language versions

Although all Systems2win templates and on-line help are written in English, most Systems2win templates are compatible with most language versions of Windows and Office.

Limitation of language version	Work Around
Double-byte character languages: Systems2win makes no attempt to be compatible with languages that require double-byte characters (such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean...)
German: Some Systems2win templates version 5 and lower do not work with the German version of Excel.	Upgrade to version 6 or higher.
Version 4 or lower: Prior to version 5, Systems2win made no special effort to be compatible with international language versions of Windows and Office.	Upgrade to version 6 or higher.

How to inquire about or report additional possible problems

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Tips for printing web pages (like this one)
Option 1) Print in landscape. Internet Explorer - File > Page Setup > Landscape.
Option 2) Print the web page as a PDF file, (which can then be easily printed). Training: How to download and use free PDF writing software
Important: Any document created using a Systems2win template that is distributed outside of your licensed usersmust be in a non-editable format, such as printed paper or a PDF

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