How to handle massive workbooks that freeze and choke Excel? Let's share tactics

1. Download my free Name Manager add-in to really see what is going on behind the scenes regarding range names. https://jkp-ads.com/excel-name-manager.aspx

Names I always delete:

• Error names (#REF!)
• Names with external references
• Names containing ={ (these are mostly names holding constants of external add-ins like FactSet)

Next I check for duplicated local vs global names. The local (sheet-level) copies are often caused by copying worksheets and shouldn't be there unless on purpose

2. Install my free Rule Manager to clean up duplicated CF rules: 

https://jkp-ads.com/excel-rule-manager.aspx

3. Open the Selection pane (Home, Find & Select, Selection pane). It allows you to see if there are many (hidden) objects on your sheet(s)

4. I offer add-ins to time calculations and to clean up files, but those aren't free so I won't mention them here.