Bug Bulletin: Excel Table AutoFormat Defaults Silently Disabled (July 2025 – Current Channel)

Summary: Microsoft’s July 2025 Excel update for Current Channel users silently disabled two critical AutoFormat settings that have been default-on for decades:

• "Include new rows and columns in table"
• "Fill formulas in tables to create calculated columns"
  This change broke table expansion, formula propagation, and VBA logic across thousands of workbooks — with no warning, no changelog entry, and no opt-in control.

Impact:

• Tables no longer auto-expand when typing below or beside them.
• Formulas in new columns don’t auto-fill, breaking calculated column logic.
• VBA macros relying on table expansion fail silently.
• Trainers and analysts face unexpected deliverable errors and loss of student trust.

Root Cause: Microsoft introduced Workbook Compatibility Versions and reclassified AutoFormat behaviors as “legacy.” In Version 2 workbooks:

• AutoFormat defaults are disabled by design.
• Users must manually re-enable them via: File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options > AutoFormat As You Type tab

Workaround: To restore expected behavior:

1. Go to File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options
2. Click the AutoFormat As You Type tab
3. Check the following boxes:
• "Include new rows and columns in table"
• "Fill formulas in tables to create calculated columns"
4. Click OK

Call to Action: This change was made without notice, broke legacy logic, and undermined trust in Excel’s reliability. Microsoft must:

• Restore these defaults for Version 1 workbooks
• Surface the change in update notes
• Provide opt-in control for Version 2 behavior

I've spent four days working through this, and Microsoft is aware this is an issue apparently.