A NOTE of caution (if you haven't already been affected) Microsoft has recently (in my case yesterday) included in it's updates a security download for the above software. The END result of downloading this file is that you may well LOSE access to using Excel (and maybe more for all i know). Solutions are available on the INTERNET however it will require a modification to your computer registry (in case that makes you uncomfortable). This "cure" may be worse than the disease.truenorthThanks for the alert. Can you post the code NUMBERS of the Microsoft updates? I am not exactly certain as to what the code was (as i have already installed it and resolved the problem).However it is most likely to have been "KB838905" According to the Microsoft web site that particular security update was issued in Oct. 2008. Given that i had been away from the computer that it appeared on since Oct. 23rd it is most likely that is it. I cannot see that others on that program have been issued since. truenorth