Solved - Formula Calculation Mode - Inadvertently Changing To Manual

**Spencer** · 08-07-2012, 10:06 PM

I open and close a lot of different spreadsheets on a daily basis. Somehow some of these seem to get set to manual calculation mode.

The ones that are created by someone else and get passed around from coworker to coworker don't surprise me much, but sometimes spreadsheets that I have created from scratch and have not shared with others somehow get set to manual mode.

Is there a keyboard shortcut that I may be inadvertently using that switches you to manual calculation mode? Any other common causes for this?

Are there any steps I can take to help ensure all my spreadsheets stay in automatic calculation mode?

Thanks, Spence

**Spencer** · 08-09-2012, 11:46 PM

It has been a couple of days with no responses, so I hope it's OK that I bumped my own thread.

Any suggestions at all would be appreciated.

**MrShorty** · 08-10-2012, 12:17 AM

I'm not exactly sure how it would work. Calculation mode is a "global" setting, so what I suspect is happening is something like

1) You open a workbook that was saved with calculation mode to manual. Excel picks up on that and sets calculation mode to manual
2) While this book is open, you open one of yours. Since calculation mode is a global setting, Excel has to decide whether to set calc mode to automatic or to leave it as manual and change the setting on the newly opened book.
3) If it decides to leave calc mode to manual, and you save your book, now your book has the manual tag added to it.

That's just an example of the kind of thing that might be going on. One would have to take some time to test the different combinations to confirm exactly how Excel decides these things. One way or another I suspect it boils down to calculation mode is a global setting and, when multiple workbooks are open, they are either all manual or all automatic.

**Spencer** · 08-11-2012, 07:45 PM

Originally Posted by MrShorty

I'm not exactly sure how it would work. Calculation mode is a "global" setting, so what I suspect is happening is something like

1) You open a workbook that was saved with calculation mode to manual. Excel picks up on that and sets calculation mode to manual
2) While this book is open, you open one of yours. Since calculation mode is a global setting, Excel has to decide whether to set calc mode to automatic or to leave it as manual and change the setting on the newly opened book.
3) If it decides to leave calc mode to manual, and you save your book, now your book has the manual tag added to it.

This appears to be exactly what is happening. I made a bunch of test spreadsheets tonight, one at a time. I set some to manual and left others on automatic. I then tested out different combinations of which ones I opened first, etc.

If I open one up that is set to manual, then while keeping that first spreadsheet open, I open another than was previously set to automatic, Excel will change the second spreadsheet to manual calculation mode. The second spreadsheet will only retain that manual calculation mode if I save it while the global settings caused it to be in manual mode. If I close down the second spreadsheet without saving it, it will not retain the temporary manual mode setting it showed while it was open.

The same is true in reverse, if I open a spreadsheet that is automatic mode first, then open up a second spreadsheet that previously was set to manual mode, it will temporarily change the second spreadsheet to automatic mode. Again, that second spreadsheet will only retain that automatic setting if I save it while it is in that temporarly mode caused by the global settings.

With as many spreadsheets and I have to open and close all day long it is no wonder this 'global settings' feature has caused me so much grief. Depending on what I have open or closed this manual calculations mode is spreading like a virus and that is exactly how I got infected in the first place is opening up a spreadsheet someone else sent me that was set to manual, as I have never had a need to set any of my spreadsheets to manual myself.

Thanks for helping me to figure this out.

**Cutter** · 08-10-2012, 07:35 AM

@ Spencer

Bumping is quite alright. The following is from the Forum Rules page:

If your question has not been answered within a day, consider adding another post with any additional information you believe is relevant. If you think your post is good as is, just reply to your own thread with the words "Bump no response", which will bring it to the top of the forum.

**keyrocket** · 08-14-2012, 06:28 AM

Is there any way in excel to filter a record as soon as it is entered instead of always going to data, filter. i would like it so every time i enter a new record into a row it will jump into the right order on the spreadsheet! Please tell me guys I am very confused in this.

**Cutter** · 08-14-2012, 01:31 PM

Hello keyrocket, and welcome to the forum.

Unfortunately you have inadvertently broken one of the forum rules. Please read the following and make the necessary change. Thanks.

Your post does not comply with Rule 2 of our Forum RULES. Don't post a question in the thread of another member -- start your own thread. If you feel it's particularly relevant, provide a link to the other thread. It makes sense to have a new thread for your question because a thread with numerous replies can be off putting & difficult to pick out relevant replies.