MS Excel Crashes Copying Sheet with 3-D References in Formulas

• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
• Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a

SYMPTOMS

If you copy a worksheet that contains formulas with 3-D references, such as "=SUM(Sheet1:Sheet3!A1)" (without the quotation marks), Microsoft Excel may generate an irrecoverable error and you will have to quit the program.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you copy worksheets with formulas that contain 3-D references if the formulas contain #REF! values. The #REF! values within these formulas are usually generated when you make copies of worksheets that are themselves copies of other worksheets containing formulas with 3-D references.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, when you make copies of worksheets that contain formulas with 3-D references, always make a copy of the original worksheet and not a copy of a copy. The copy of the original may still contain a #REF! value, but as long as you do not copy a previously copied worksheet, Microsoft Excel should not generate an error.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. The problem was corrected in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows and Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition.