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AbzacRoss's avatar
AbzacRoss
Copper Contributor
May 26, 2022

Why are links to my SharePoint files considered "external", and how do I fix it?

I have multiple Excel files in SharePoint with formulas that reference other Excel files, which are also on my SharePoint site.  Every time I open one of these files I get an "External Data Connections have been disabled" message.

 

First, why does SharePoint treat files in the same tenancy as "external"?

Second, as the administrator, how do I add my SharePoint site to a global list of trusted locations, so none of my users have to deal with this error?

 

In other words, I want to make mycompany.sharepoint.com a trusted site without allowing other external connections.

 

Thank you for your help!

  • Dhammy2022's avatar
    Dhammy2022
    Copper Contributor
    As far as I know, once you have a link in an excel workbook that links to another excel workbook, such a link is considered an external link. So technical speaking, it is not SharePoint that is treating your links as external, This excel way of telling you that there are links to other resources which is not in the same workbook. (There is no solution to this). Excel Online does not support external links so it will be disabled.

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