# Argh! Excel help needed. anyone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 4, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-excel-help-needed-anyone/580647 "2011-05-04T02:08:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-excel-help-needed-anyone/580647/1 "2011-05-04T02:08:51Z")
I’m working on the phone with a guy in New York. I’m in Chicago. We have been sent the same Excel spreadsheet. But we can’t coordinate because his spreadsheet doesn’t show the task bars at the top like mine does. When I left click on a cell, the contents (and the cell coordinates) show up in a window in one of the task bars at the top of the spreadsheet. He doesn’t have those task bars so he’s really stymied. I figure if we could figure out how to turn those things on, his life - and mine - would be a lot easier. But I have no clue as to how to do that. Are there some simple fixes? Thanks, Dopers. xo, C. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-excel-help-needed-anyone/580647/2 "2011-05-04T02:15:41Z")
You’ll get more accurate responses if you told us what version of Excel you’re working with. Also, what version of Excel _he’s_ working with. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-excel-help-needed-anyone/580647/3 "2011-05-04T02:37:53Z")
I took the time to fire up my copy of Excel 2007. I think you are talking about the formula bar. To display it, click on the big round “Microsoft Office” button in the upper left and select “Excel Options”. Click “Advanced” and scroll down to “Display”. Make sure that “Show formula bar” is checked, then click “OK”. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-excel-help-needed-anyone/580647/4 "2011-05-04T02:43:46Z")
I have not heard back from him re: his version of Excel, but he did say that there was nothing on his screen above the spreadsheet. No bars, no nada. I take this to mean that there is no big round button, either. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-excel-help-needed-anyone/580647/5 "2011-05-04T02:53:34Z")
No look all the way to the top of the window where the title bar is. You know, where it says “Microsoft Excel” At the right is a big red “X” where you can close the window. Now look all the way to the left and you’ll see the big round button I’m talking about. (Assuming you have a similar version of Excel.) Or he could be in full-screen mode. In which case, he just needs to press “Esc”. ---
**Author:** ![CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f1d935/32.png) [@CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CC)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-excel-help-needed-anyone/580647/6 "2011-05-04T16:57:39Z")
Thanks for the suggestions. Unfortunately, even though he says he does have Excel 2007, they didn’t work. We’ll continue with workarounds. This is still the best place to combat ignorance. (My old SD t-shirt is just about worn out, but the message is still critical!) ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-excel-help-needed-anyone/580647/7 "2011-05-04T17:40:55Z")
It might help if you can arrange to get a screenshot of the problem. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-excel-help-needed-anyone/580647/8 "2011-05-04T17:49:14Z")
Any chance he has put his Excel into full-screen mode? Tell him to right-click anywhere on the spreadsheet and then click “Close full screen.” ETA: Sorry, I just saw that full-screen mode was suggested earlier. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-excel-help-needed-anyone/580647/9 "2011-05-04T17:58:30Z")
If the formula bar has been turned off, either through Excel Options or just through the View tab on the ribbon, he can turn it back on thusly: Alt+W, then V, then F. ---
**Author:** ![Odaran09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Odaran09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odaran09)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2011, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/argh-excel-help-needed-anyone/580647/10 "2011-05-04T22:31:53Z")
It is also possible that he is using an Excel spread sheet **viewer** which is free from Microsoft. It only allows you to view information on the spreadsheet and not edit it. I once used a PC that only had the viewer and there were no tool bars or anyway to save it. I assume you have the full version of Excel and that is why you have all the functions. There should be a Help \> About in the program he is using and should be able to tell what he is using. Here is the link to the Excel spreadsheet viewer [http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?familyid=1CD6ACF9-CE06-4E1C-8DCF-F33F669DBC3A&displaylang=en](http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?familyid=1CD6ACF9-CE06-4E1C-8DCF-F33F669DBC3A&displaylang=en)