Excel files expanding exponentially


  1. Posts : 11
    Windows 10
       #1

    Excel files expanding exponentially


    Office 365 Excel has obscurely increased file sizes to where they sometimes become unworkable, a problem cited various times on the web. Solutions include deleting/hiding unused ranges of cells, searching for hidden worksheets and hidden formulas, running the Office Repair, even uninstalling and reinstalling Office 365, all to no avail. My simple workpages are only 10 columns wide and not more than 100 lines long. I have been using several formulas for a decade that I constructed (not from 3rd party templates) that keep track of monthly payments on just 13 rental units, maintaining progressive balances. In the earliest files I have, the file size was about 10MB ten years ago and have stayed in that range until last March when it suddenly jumped to 20 MB and now has grown to 25MB with only a few more lines of data entered on each worksheet. The files are saved to OneDrive.

    MS support suggested this could happen from improper shutdowns or saving incorrectly, but is the program that fragile that it requires an IT tech to monitor a workbook so simple? The only suggestion that held any credibility was that I may have moved these files through too many revisions of Excel over the years, but that doesn't explain the sudden jump last March.

    The workaround solution I used was to manually copy and paste each worksheet into a new workbook by highlighting the original, copying its contents and formulas with the menu command (not Ctrl+C) and doing a special paste into a freshly created workpage. Unused cell ranges were eliminated en masse after all workpages had been moved. [The Copy/Move option on the tab wasn't as clean.] When completed, with everything in the same format and physical layout, the entire workbook is only 118 kb!

    How does this occur? Is there no way to look into the belly of these files to see what's going on? There's got to be a reason this happens and a fix for it.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 1,524
    Win10 Pro
       #2

    Hi Old Fixer. Have you tried searching with a Google? I found lots of information about this that might help you. If you’ve already tried some of the fixes on line please let us know what you’ve already tried.
      My Computers


  3. Posts : 11
    Windows 10
    Thread Starter
       #3

    SoFine409 said:
    Hi Old Fixer. Have you tried searching with a Google? I found lots of information about this that might help you. If you’ve already tried some of the fixes on line please let us know what you’ve already tried.
    I thought I did above. But just to reiterate:
    • I deleted and then hid all the open range cells leaving 10 columns and 100 lines
    • I ran the Office 365 repair both online and the quick version
    • There were no extraneous or hidden worksheets
    • The formulas had been functional for 10 years or more
    • Office 365 was uninstalled and then reinstalled
    • The only color in the workbook was for colored tabs on the worksheets
    • No COM add-ins in my program
    • No cross-referencing between workpages or to another workbook
    • Made sure I had the 64-bit program installed
    • I tried to perform a repair on individual worksheets, but nothing happened


    I still pose the question; with a dirty workbook of 25 MB and the same one cleaned at 118kb, isn't there some way to get inside to see what all the voluminous dirt is about?
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 1,524
    Win10 Pro
       #4

    Hi Old Fixer. I apologize for my response. It was intended for a different thread but I inadvertently posted it on yours. I tried to delete it but the delete never went through. I’ve used Excel for many years both for work and at home but I’ve never seen anything like this. We have lots of Excel power users here on the forum so you should be seeing some good suggestions very soon. Good luck.
      My Computers


 

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