break links not working

[swoxo]

In Excel 2007, I have a workbook with one link that I want to break. In the
Ribbon, I go to the Data tab, and in the Connections section I choose Edit
Links. In the Edit Links window, I select the link that I want to break
(there is only one link there), and I click on the button that says "Break
Link". I get a pop-up warning that once I break the link, my action cannot
be undone. There are two buttons under the warning, one that says "Break
Links" and one that says "Cancel". I click on "Break Links" and nothing
happens. My link is still there, and if I save and close the workbook, I
still get the security alert every time I reopen it.

I cannot delete or relocate the source Excel workbook that mine is linked
to, because other people are using that source. I just want to break my
workbook's link to that source. Any ideas why the Break Link button isn't
doing that for me?

[Don Guillett]

Not sure about this but you may? have to UN share first.

--
Don Guillett
Microsoft MVP Excel
SalesAid Software
dgui...@gmail.com
"swoxo" <sw...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:AA3A0742-7F19-432B...@microsoft.com...

[swoxo]

That is a good suggestion so I gave it a try, but it turned out that the
workbook wasn't shared, I already had exclusive use.

Thx,
swoxo

"Don Guillett" wrote:

> .
>

[Dave Peterson]

I don't use xl2007 enough to have seen this problem...

But I'd use Bill Manville's FindLink program:
http://www.oaltd.co.uk/MVP/Default.htm

--

Dave Peterson

[Terry Morrison]

Hi, I have found two scenerios recently in which links could not be broken.
1) a control button or dropdown box was copied in from another workbook and the link was part of the control properties. It can't be broken from the connections button, has to be deleted within the control dialog box
2) a graph with data source pointing somewhere else seems to have the same issue.
Hope this helps, I was about to start over with the workbook and had this idea. It fixed the problem.

> workbook's link to that source. Any ideas why the Break Link button is not
> doing that for me?

>> On Monday, April 12, 2010 9:06 AM Don Guillett wrote:

>> Not sure about this but you may? have to UN share first.
>>
>> --
>> Don Guillett
>> Microsoft MVP Excel
>> SalesAid Software
>> dgui...@gmail.com

>>> On Monday, April 12, 2010 10:08 AM swoxo wrote:

>>> That is a good suggestion so I gave it a try, but it turned out that the

>>> workbook was not shared, I already had exclusive use.

>>>
>>> Thx,
>>> swoxo
>>>
>>> "Don Guillett" wrote:

>>>> On Monday, April 12, 2010 10:20 AM Dave Peterson wrote:

>>>> I do not use xl2007 enough to have seen this problem...

>>>>
>>>> But I'd use Bill Manville's FindLink program:
>>>> http://www.oaltd.co.uk/MVP/Default.htm
>>>>
>>>> swoxo wrote:
>>>>

>>>> --
>>>>
>>>> Dave Peterson

>>>> Submitted via EggHeadCafe - Software Developer Portal of Choice
>>>> Simple .NET HEX PixelColor Utility
>>>> http://www.eggheadcafe.com/tutorials/aspnet/5617a491-963d-4510-b8f1-1863ddf52bc1/simple-net-hex-pixelcolor-utility.aspx

[Dave Orth]

I had the dreaded "This workbook contains links to other data sources" but was completely unable to locate the offending cell. It turned out to be an errant "Data Validation" cell.

Using Excel 2010, I was able to see that I had a link to an external file. Using "Data -> Edit Links" it showed the file, but using the "Break Link" or "Change Source..." did not affect it. This was maddening as Excel doesn't give information on what cell is using this link.

I used the "File" menu and selected the "Check for Issues -> Check Compatibility" menu which informed me that "One or more cells in this workbook contain data validation rules which refer to values on other worksheets." This is fine in Excel 2010, but not compatible with previous versions.

Examining the results from this report lead me to a (large) range of cells to examine, but far less than looking through the whole spreadsheet. I clicked the "Data -> Data Validation -> Circle Invalid Data" to identify cells with non-compliant data. Scanning for a red circle, I found one which had a "Source" for data validation which pointed to the external "link" which I had been trying to delete.

Once I corrected the Source for the data validation, my issue was resolved. This was a fairly large spreadsheet and I was a bit lucky that I only had to scan a few hundred cells. If this had been a much larger spreadsheet with more Data Validation, it would have been nearly impossible using this method.

Good luck!

Dave O

>>>>> On Friday, August 20, 2010 10:45 AM Terry Morrison wrote:

>>>>> Hi, I have found two scenerios recently in which links could not be broken.
>>>>>
>>>>> 1) a control button or dropdown box was copied in from another workbook and the link was part of the control properties. It can't be broken from the connections button, has to be deleted within the control dialog box
>>>>>
>>>>> 2) a graph with data source pointing somewhere else seems to have the same issue.
>>>>>
>>>>> Hope this helps, I was about to start over with the workbook and had this idea. It fixed the problem.

>>>>> Submitted via EggHeadCafe
>>>>> Microsoft LINQ Query Samples For Beginners
>>>>> http://www.eggheadcafe.com/training-topic-area/LINQ-Standard-Query-Operators/33/LINQ-Standard-Query-Operators.aspx

[smas...@hotmail.com]

You may please try the following:

Undder the formula bar, click name manager and delete the names and then give try.
I hope it will work.

[clarks...@gmail.com]

One scenario that leads to hard-to-find links is the use of cross-sheet conditional formating. If cells containing cross-sheet conditional formating are pasted into a new file, a link is created within the conditional formatting back to the originating file. This link cannot be broken in the traditional way. You have to change or clear the conditional formating to remove the link. To clear, go to the Home tab on the ribbon, click Conditional Formatting-->Clear Rules-->Clear Rules from Entire Sheet. To find the cell ranges containing this type of formatting across an entire workbook use File-->Check for Issues-->Check Compatibility. Within a sheet you can also use Conditional Formatting-->Manage Rules.

[aaron....@gmail.com]

Do you have any drop down boxes in your workbook. Often it is the case that the data validation is referencing the outside workbook. Check those and resource if necessary.

[vpfi...@cabsonline.ca]

Summary of all of the answers in this thread:

Links can be from cell in one workbook to another in another workbook, which is easy to find, but there are OTHER ways that workbooks can be linked... and ones where it is impossible to break the link via the Modify Links button under the Data menu. These are:

1. Conditional formatting (home menu) can refer to another workbook (suggestion: kill your conditional formatting and redo it line by line);

2. Data validation (drop-down boxes) citing a list from a cell range in another workbook, or anything like this in data-validation (see Data menu);

3. Names: in Excel you can "name" a range of cells, and refer to that name just like any other cell... so a formula like =A1+A2 could also be =C5+WALLSANDWINDOWS. These names can reference cell ranges in another workbook, so you should look at them.


Two tricks to finding out what's wrong:

1. Under the Data menu, use the option "Circle invalid data" (under the Data Validation button);
2. Under the File menu (or Home Ribbon in 2003), validate the Compatibility - it won't tell you what is causing the problem exactly, but it will give you a good idea of where to look.

Good luck!

[jlys...@optonline.net]

Thanks for the tip -- I tried delete names and the links went away!

[ryanal...@gmail.com]

You guys have been really helpful, I was able to figure out a 4500+ occurrence problem within a workbook containing 100+ sheets :)

1) File -> check compatibility -> paste into new sheet

2) Formulas ribbon -> defined names region, select use in formula -> paste names -> paste list.

3) If this is what is causing your problem, you will now see see all of these names along with their locations. Now, select all tabs (ctrl + click) and go to home -> general -> number -> format as raw text

4) Now search workbook for these names and either replace them or delete them.

I hope this helps,

rk

[ryanal...@gmail.com]

3) B. Using the name manager could also be really helpful depending upon what is causing your defined name error.

[mwf...@gmail.com]

First time using this Google groups, can't believe this problem is this old. I have a spreadsheet that references a named range on another spreadsheet. I use the data validation to save entries to one page. Once completed, I copy/move the ss I made my entries in and save as a new file. Each time the spreadsheet is opened it prompts to update, was never able to get break links to work (Excel 2010). Tried the Clear All for Data Validation, Ctrl+F3 to delete names, etc, but was never able to break the link. Every time I opened the file I got the update prompt.

Until I saved the file as Excel 97 - 2003, now when I open the file, no prompt to update the link I could never break. Thank you MS for leaving this problem in existence for so long.

[rohit...@gmail.com]

On Monday, 27 August 2012 10:01:05 UTC+5:30, smas...@hotmail.com wrote:
> You may please try the following: Undder the formula bar, click name manager and delete the names and then give try. I hope it will work.

Thanks alot dude...
I searched every place and the link was lying in one of the names....
Problem solved..

[jco...@gmail.com]

This worked for me. Thanks!

[phu...@gmail.com]

That worked!!!! thanks so much!!!!

[pjay...@gmail.com]

I would never have figured out my issue without this suggestion. Thanks!

[gvsg...@gmail.com]

Hi - this suggestion was very helpful as I was having the exact issue after copy-pasting information from one workbook into another. Thank you!

[mjhog...@gmail.com]

Thanks for the tips - the solution for me was checking out the invalid data left behind by using drop down boxes.

Mark

[cmck...@gmail.com]

This worked for me! I had a bunch of "rogue" named ranges in here. Thank you!

On Sunday, August 26, 2012 11:31:05 PM UTC-5, smas...@hotmail.com wrote:

[ganeshv...@gmail.com]

Yes...it works thanks alot

[lem...@gmail.com]

I believe I tracked down my Problem: I copied a worksheet from another workbook and I made it Hidden. Then I started having the annoying message pop up. I couldn't find anything wrong in the name manager, and yet there was a link with Status Unknown that I couldn't break.

Unhide the sheet I copied, and BLAM! I have a WHOLE BUNCH of names that refer to external files. I am still confused why you cannot see all the names in name manager (hidden and not hidden)

[GS]

Names that are hidden do not appear in Excel's built-in NameManager or
the NameBox dropdown. They do appear in JKP's NameManager addin!

The links are likely due to those names on the imported sheet having
global scope in the workbook they were defined in. IMO, this is another
fine example of why global scope naming should NEVER be used unless
absolutely necessary!

--
Garry

Free usenet access at http://www.eternal-september.org
Classic VB Users Regroup!
comp.lang.basic.visual.misc
microsoft.public.vb.general.discussion

[kameshsu...@gmail.com]

Hi All,

The issue relates to linking of cells to another workbook. When i click on Data-Break Link all the links get broken instead of just 1 link.

[kameshsu...@gmail.com]

Hi,

Missed out. Is there anyway I can break the link to another workbook for just 1 cell instead of all cells using the break link function.

[GS]

> Missed out. Is there anyway I can break the link to another workbook
> for just 1 cell instead of all cells using the break link function.

Did you try to manually edit the formula in that cell to remove the
link?

[tar...@gmail.com]

Thank you, that works!

[1978m...@gmail.com]

There's a lot of good ideas in here on how to find external links. I've gone through all of them and still have a link somewhere. You'd think that Excel would let you know where the links are if you check a box or something. After all, you can do it with Compatibility checker, why not with Edit links?
How hard could it be Microsoft?

My 2 cents.

When trying to find a link that might be in a formula you can use the Ctrl+F to Find and type in the name of the linked file you found in Edit links on the Data tab. In the dropdown you have a choice of looking within a sheet or a workbook. You should get a listing of cells when you click Find All.

If you have a lot of links you want to eliminate, you can short cut it by looking for "[". All external links contain the square bracket at the beginning of the file's location. You can also do a mass correction if you want by clicking on the Replace tab.

If you still have the issue, check Conditional Formatting. The problem may manifest itself in the formula you're using, or in the Rule on the leftmost column (that's where my link was hiding). Very irritating to find them there because the only way to break that link is to remove the conditional formatting and then re-make them if you really need it, which you would or you wouldn't have built them in the first place.

Personally, I don't use Names in my spreadsheets. If you do, check them out. It's a good place to hide links.

[mrjamie...@gmail.com]

Terry Morrison you are a genuis! Well not sure actually but you helped me find my problem of links I couldn't break which was related to dropdown boxes. Thank you!

Jamie

On Friday, August 20, 2010 8:45:48 AM UTC-6, Terry Morrison wrote:
> Hi, I have found two scenerios recently in which links could not be broken.
> 1) a control button or dropdown box was copied in from another workbook and the link was part of the control properties. It can't be broken from the connections button, has to be deleted within the control dialog box
> 2) a graph with data source pointing somewhere else seems to have the same issue.
> Hope this helps, I was about to start over with the workbook and had this idea. It fixed the problem.
>

> > On Monday, April 12, 2010 8:45 AM swoxo wrote:
>
> > In Excel 2007, I have a workbook with one link that I want to break. In the
> > Ribbon, I go to the Data tab, and in the Connections section I choose Edit
> > Links. In the Edit Links window, I select the link that I want to break
> > (there is only one link there), and I click on the button that says "Break
> > Link". I get a pop-up warning that once I break the link, my action cannot
> > be undone. There are two buttons under the warning, one that says "Break
> > Links" and one that says "Cancel". I click on "Break Links" and nothing
> > happens. My link is still there, and if I save and close the workbook, I
> > still get the security alert every time I reopen it.
> >
> > I cannot delete or relocate the source Excel workbook that mine is linked
> > to, because other people are using that source. I just want to break my

> > workbook's link to that source. Any ideas why the Break Link button is not
> > doing that for me?
>
>
> >> On Monday, April 12, 2010 9:06 AM Don Guillett wrote:
>
> >> Not sure about this but you may? have to UN share first.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Don Guillett
> >> Microsoft MVP Excel
> >> SalesAid Software
> >> dgui...@gmail.com
>
>
> >>> On Monday, April 12, 2010 10:08 AM swoxo wrote:
>
> >>> That is a good suggestion so I gave it a try, but it turned out that the
> >>> workbook was not shared, I already had exclusive use.
> >>>
> >>> Thx,
> >>> swoxo
> >>>
> >>> "Don Guillett" wrote:
>
>
> >>>> On Monday, April 12, 2010 10:20 AM Dave Peterson wrote:
>
> >>>> I do not use xl2007 enough to have seen this problem...
> >>>>
> >>>> But I'd use Bill Manville's FindLink program:
> >>>> http://www.oaltd.co.uk/MVP/Default.htm
> >>>>
> >>>> swoxo wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> --
> >>>>
> >>>> Dave Peterson
>
>

> >>>> Submitted via EggHeadCafe - Software Developer Portal of Choice
> >>>> Simple .NET HEX PixelColor Utility
> >>>> http://www.eggheadcafe.com/tutorials/aspnet/5617a491-963d-4510-b8f1-1863ddf52bc1/simple-net-hex-pixelcolor-utility.aspx

[bram....@gmail.com]

Using Data menu, use the option "Circle invalid data" (under the Data Validation button), I finally found what the problem was. Thank you!!

Op woensdag 3 oktober 2012 17:00:13 UTC+2 schreef vpfi...@cabsonline.ca:

[poonmas...@gmail.com]

On Wednesday, November 7, 2012 7:40:24 PM UTC-7, mwf...@gmail.com wrote:
> First time using this Google groups, can't believe this problem is this old. I have a spreadsheet that references a named range on another spreadsheet. I use the data validation to save entries to one page. Once completed, I copy/move the ss I made my entries in and save as a new file. Each time the spreadsheet is opened it prompts to update, was never able to get break links to work (Excel 2010). Tried the Clear All for Data Validation, Ctrl+F3 to delete names, etc, but was never able to break the link. Every time I opened the file I got the update prompt. Until I saved the file as Excel 97 - 2003, now when I open the file, no prompt to update the link I could never break. Thank you MS for leaving this problem in existence for so long.

THANK YOU mwf..@gmail.com!!! I have been working on this for HOURS and none of the posted methods would delete my broken links. Saving as an Excel 97-2003 worked! I then resaved back into .xlsx form, issue was fixed.

[davidx...@gmail.com]

I had a link I could not delete and discovered after going to file/Check for Issues/Check Compatibility that I had somehow copied over conditional formatting that was linked to another file. Unfortunately, I had copied this offending worksheet 25 times within my file so I had to select all in each tab, go to Conditional Formatting/Manage Rules and delete rules through every tab. Then I went to Data/Edit Links and I was able to break the link and resolve the problem.


On Monday, April 12, 2010 5:45:01 AM UTC-7, swoxo wrote: > In Excel 2007, I have a workbook with one link that I want to break. In the Ribbon, I go to the Data tab, and in the Connections section I choose Edit Links. In the Edit Links window, I select the link that I want to break (there is only one link there), and I click on the button that says "Break Link". I get a pop-up warning that once I break the link, my action cannot be undone. There are two buttons under the warning, one that says "Break Links" and one that says "Cancel". I click on "Break Links" and nothing happens. My link is still there, and if I save and close the workbook, I still get the security alert every time I reopen it.I cannot delete or relocate the source Excel workbook that mine is linked to, because other people are using that source. I just want to break my workbook's link to that source. Any ideas why the Break Link button isn't doing that for me?

[hrcs...@gmail.com]

On Monday, August 27, 2012 12:31:05 AM UTC-4, smas...@hotmail.com wrote:
> You may please try the following:
>
>
>
> Undder the formula bar, click name manager and delete the names and then give try.
>
> I hope it will work.

Seeing an external reference here is what helped me find my issue.

[marknos...@gmail.com]

This definitely worked for me. Holy crap I spent about 45 minutes looking for this dreaded link. It appears in was imbedded in conditional formatting and not in a formula.

This is the only place I found that suggested I try that.

Thanks for the Help!

On Tuesday, December 7, 2010 11:38:07 AM UTC-5, Dave Orth wrote:
> I had the dreaded "This workbook contains links to other data sources" but was completely unable to locate the offending cell. It turned out to be an errant "Data Validation" cell.
>
> Using Excel 2010, I was able to see that I had a link to an external file. Using "Data -> Edit Links" it showed the file, but using the "Break Link" or "Change Source..." did not affect it. This was maddening as Excel doesn't give information on what cell is using this link.
>
> I used the "File" menu and selected the "Check for Issues -> Check Compatibility" menu which informed me that "One or more cells in this workbook contain data validation rules which refer to values on other worksheets." This is fine in Excel 2010, but not compatible with previous versions.
>
> Examining the results from this report lead me to a (large) range of cells to examine, but far less than looking through the whole spreadsheet. I clicked the "Data -> Data Validation -> Circle Invalid Data" to identify cells with non-compliant data. Scanning for a red circle, I found one which had a "Source" for data validation which pointed to the external "link" which I had been trying to delete.
>
> Once I corrected the Source for the data validation, my issue was resolved. This was a fairly large spreadsheet and I was a bit lucky that I only had to scan a few hundred cells. If this had been a much larger spreadsheet with more Data Validation, it would have been nearly impossible using this method.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Dave O
>

> > On Monday, April 12, 2010 8:45 AM swoxo wrote:
>
> > In Excel 2007, I have a workbook with one link that I want to break. In the
> > Ribbon, I go to the Data tab, and in the Connections section I choose Edit
> > Links. In the Edit Links window, I select the link that I want to break
> > (there is only one link there), and I click on the button that says "Break
> > Link". I get a pop-up warning that once I break the link, my action cannot
> > be undone. There are two buttons under the warning, one that says "Break
> > Links" and one that says "Cancel". I click on "Break Links" and nothing
> > happens. My link is still there, and if I save and close the workbook, I
> > still get the security alert every time I reopen it.
> >
> > I cannot delete or relocate the source Excel workbook that mine is linked
> > to, because other people are using that source. I just want to break my

> > workbook's link to that source. Any ideas why the Break Link button is not
> > doing that for me?
>
>
> >> On Monday, April 12, 2010 9:06 AM Don Guillett wrote:
>
> >> Not sure about this but you may? have to UN share first.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Don Guillett
> >> Microsoft MVP Excel
> >> SalesAid Software
> >>
>
>

> >>> On Monday, April 12, 2010 10:08 AM swoxo wrote:
>
> >>> That is a good suggestion so I gave it a try, but it turned out that the
> >>> workbook was not shared, I already had exclusive use.
> >>>
> >>> Thx,
> >>> swoxo
> >>>
> >>> "Don Guillett" wrote:
>
>
> >>>> On Monday, April 12, 2010 10:20 AM Dave Peterson wrote:
>
> >>>> I do not use xl2007 enough to have seen this problem...
> >>>>
> >>>> But I'd use Bill Manville's FindLink program:
> >>>> http://www.oaltd.co.uk/MVP/Default.htm
> >>>>
> >>>> swoxo wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> --
> >>>>
> >>>> Dave Peterson
>
>
> >>>>> On Friday, August 20, 2010 10:45 AM Terry Morrison wrote:
>
> >>>>> Hi, I have found two scenerios recently in which links could not be broken.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> 1) a control button or dropdown box was copied in from another workbook and the link was part of the control properties. It can't be broken from the connections button, has to be deleted within the control dialog box
> >>>>>
> >>>>> 2) a graph with data source pointing somewhere else seems to have the same issue.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Hope this helps, I was about to start over with the workbook and had this idea. It fixed the problem.
>
>

[head...@gmail.com]

On Monday, August 27, 2012 12:31:05 AM UTC-4, smas...@hotmail.com wrote:
> You may please try the following:
>
>
>
> Undder the formula bar, click name manager and delete the names and then give try.
>
> I hope it will work.

OHHH THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! I had tried all the other suggestions and nothing was working, but this did it. MANY thanks.

[Ken Wright]

Bill Manville has a free addin that to me is absolutely brilliant, called
findlink. Have used it many many times and can heartily recommend you give
it a go. if there is a link this will find it for you.

http://www DOT manville DOT org DOT uk/software/findlink.htm

Regards
Ken..................

wrote in message
news:dba50e3e-e34b-4278...@googlegroups.com...

[sf7...@gmail.com]

As mentioned by another user, I found the link to be in the Conditional Formatting.
I found this by using the File > Info > Check for Issues, suggestion.

[crav...@gmail.com]

I inherited a spreadsheet that had these darn things. Even though I tried to "unlink" them, nothing would happen. A simple solution that worked for me like a champ was to do the following:
Change your spreadsheet to a straight "xlx" via "save as", read it back in, and write it back out via "save as" again to a "xlsx". Yes, you get a stern warning about "EVERYTHING YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE, but if you have a fairly straight spreadsheet, it should work fine for you. At least it did for me. - Mark

On Monday, April 12, 2010 8:45:01 AM UTC-4, swoxo wrote:
> In Excel 2007, I have a workbook with one link that I want to break. In the
> Ribbon, I go to the Data tab, and in the Connections section I choose Edit
> Links. In the Edit Links window, I select the link that I want to break
> (there is only one link there), and I click on the button that says "Break
> Link". I get a pop-up warning that once I break the link, my action cannot
> be undone. There are two buttons under the warning, one that says "Break
> Links" and one that says "Cancel". I click on "Break Links" and nothing
> happens. My link is still there, and if I save and close the workbook, I
> still get the security alert every time I reopen it.
>
> I cannot delete or relocate the source Excel workbook that mine is linked
> to, because other people are using that source. I just want to break my

[andybla...@gmail.com]

On Monday, April 12, 2010 7:45:01 AM UTC-5, swoxo wrote:
> In Excel 2007, I have a workbook with one link that I want to break. In the
> Ribbon, I go to the Data tab, and in the Connections section I choose Edit
> Links. In the Edit Links window, I select the link that I want to break
> (there is only one link there), and I click on the button that says "Break
> Link". I get a pop-up warning that once I break the link, my action cannot
> be undone. There are two buttons under the warning, one that says "Break
> Links" and one that says "Cancel". I click on "Break Links" and nothing
> happens. My link is still there, and if I save and close the workbook, I
> still get the security alert every time I reopen it.
>
> I cannot delete or relocate the source Excel workbook that mine is linked
> to, because other people are using that source. I just want to break my
> workbook's link to that source. Any ideas why the Break Link button isn't
> doing that for me?

Data Validation and Named Ranges were the issues for me. Check Named Ranges to see references to old sheet and delete. Take notice of the data that may be using the named range, as it lead me to some cells using Data Validation of the invalid Named Range.

[d...@odexgroup.com]

Hi All

Dan O's response about inspecting the document worked for me! I would not have thought about because I did an inspection which was a dead end.
Thanks

[trevr...@gmail.com]

Mine was hidden in a Data Validation Cell reference. Very hard to find! I have a huge spreadsheet... here is how I found it.

1. Delete each sheet until the error went away.
2. Start Deleting columns, then rows in blocks of 1000,save and reopen the sheet until the error went away. Then blocks of 500, 100, 10, and finally hone in on the specific cell!

[nib...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, December 7, 2010 at 8:38:07 AM UTC-8, Dave Orth wrote:
> I had the dreaded "This workbook contains links to other data sources" but was completely unable to locate the offending cell. It turned out to be an errant "Data Validation" cell.
>
> Using Excel 2010, I was able to see that I had a link to an external file. Using "Data -> Edit Links" it showed the file, but using the "Break Link" or "Change Source..." did not affect it. This was maddening as Excel doesn't give information on what cell is using this link.
>
> I used the "File" menu and selected the "Check for Issues -> Check Compatibility" menu which informed me that "One or more cells in this workbook contain data validation rules which refer to values on other worksheets." This is fine in Excel 2010, but not compatible with previous versions.
>
> Examining the results from this report lead me to a (large) range of cells to examine, but far less than looking through the whole spreadsheet. I clicked the "Data -> Data Validation -> Circle Invalid Data" to identify cells with non-compliant data. Scanning for a red circle, I found one which had a "Source" for data validation which pointed to the external "link" which I had been trying to delete.
>
> Once I corrected the Source for the data validation, my issue was resolved. This was a fairly large spreadsheet and I was a bit lucky that I only had to scan a few hundred cells. If this had been a much larger spreadsheet with more Data Validation, it would have been nearly impossible using this method.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Dave O
>

> > On Monday, April 12, 2010 8:45 AM swoxo wrote:
>
> > In Excel 2007, I have a workbook with one link that I want to break. In the
> > Ribbon, I go to the Data tab, and in the Connections section I choose Edit
> > Links. In the Edit Links window, I select the link that I want to break
> > (there is only one link there), and I click on the button that says "Break
> > Link". I get a pop-up warning that once I break the link, my action cannot
> > be undone. There are two buttons under the warning, one that says "Break
> > Links" and one that says "Cancel". I click on "Break Links" and nothing
> > happens. My link is still there, and if I save and close the workbook, I
> > still get the security alert every time I reopen it.
> >
> > I cannot delete or relocate the source Excel workbook that mine is linked
> > to, because other people are using that source. I just want to break my

> > workbook's link to that source. Any ideas why the Break Link button is not
> > doing that for me?
>
>
> >> On Monday, April 12, 2010 9:06 AM Don Guillett wrote:
>
> >> Not sure about this but you may? have to UN share first.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Don Guillett
> >> Microsoft MVP Excel
> >> SalesAid Software

> >> dgui...@gmail.com

>
>
> >>> On Monday, April 12, 2010 10:08 AM swoxo wrote:
>
> >>> That is a good suggestion so I gave it a try, but it turned out that the
> >>> workbook was not shared, I already had exclusive use.
> >>>
> >>> Thx,
> >>> swoxo
> >>>
> >>> "Don Guillett" wrote:
>
>
> >>>> On Monday, April 12, 2010 10:20 AM Dave Peterson wrote:
>
> >>>> I do not use xl2007 enough to have seen this problem...
> >>>>
> >>>> But I'd use Bill Manville's FindLink program:
> >>>> http://www.oaltd.co.uk/MVP/Default.htm
> >>>>
> >>>> swoxo wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> --
> >>>>
> >>>> Dave Peterson
>
>
> >>>>> On Friday, August 20, 2010 10:45 AM Terry Morrison wrote:
>
> >>>>> Hi, I have found two scenerios recently in which links could not be broken.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> 1) a control button or dropdown box was copied in from another workbook and the link was part of the control properties. It can't be broken from the connections button, has to be deleted within the control dialog box
> >>>>>
> >>>>> 2) a graph with data source pointing somewhere else seems to have the same issue.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Hope this helps, I was about to start over with the workbook and had this idea. It fixed the problem.
>
>
> >>>>> Submitted via EggHeadCafe
> >>>>> Microsoft LINQ Query Samples For Beginners
> >>>>> http://www.eggheadcafe.com/training-topic-area/LINQ-Standard-Query-Operators/33/LINQ-Standard-Query-Operators.aspx

I had this problem, which persisted even after removing formulas that linked to an external source. Using your method led me to a group of cells with blank dropdown boxes that were somehow futzing up my workbook. Removing the dropdown boxes fixed the issue. Thank you so much!! Five years later. :)

[maximilian...@gmail.com]

On Monday, August 27, 2012 at 2:31:05 PM UTC+10, smas...@hotmail.com wrote:
> You may please try the following:
>
> Undder the formula bar, click name manager and delete the names and then give try.
> I hope it will work.

Thank you for the "name manager" tip. Those links were driving me crazy!

I am working with a workbook that was created by someone else on another computer that has no connection to mine. I kept getting a links warning every time I opened the workbook. I tried "break links" and nothing changed. I tried copying and pasting only the values and the links remained. But when I went to "name manager" I saw 3 names that referenced workbooks with invalid file paths because they are on the computer that originally created my workbook. I deleted those names and the hated links warnings are gone!

[muhamma...@gmail.com]

On Monday, August 27, 2012 at 8:31:05 AM UTC+4, smas...@hotmail.com wrote:
> You may please try the following:
>
> Undder the formula bar, click name manager and delete the names and then give try.
> I hope it will work.

Worked.

Thanks

[ma...@namaqua-eng.co.za]

In my case I found it to be a validation list which referenced to another workbook. Thank you guys for the idea to search there. I doubt I would have found it if it hadn't been for the input of those on this site.

Thanks.

Mac.

[sportslive...@gmail.com]

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