Issue with workbook links: enable content prompts sign-in to workbooks I don't have access to

Copper Contributor

Whenever I copy a worksheet with formulas referencing other worksheets within that workbook into a new "Destination Workbook", the worksheet is linked to the "Source Workbook" that it came from obviously. My issue is that when I re-open the Destination Workbook and click Enable Content, I'm prompted to sign-in to Microsoft in order to open worksheets that the Source Workbook was never linked to.

 

I have always worked around this problem by going to Edit Links and clicking Break Link and then saving the workbook. However, whenever I repeat the process mentioned above where I copy worksheets into new Destination Workbooks, it's like the links are still there, even though I've disabled them.

 

And these worksheets are not mine, so my sign-in does not allow me access to them. I believe I copied a worksheet from a client that had links to other workbooks of theirs and now any time I click Enable Content, I'm prompted to sign-in to about 10 different worksheets that my Original Workbook is not linked to.

 

This feels like my Excel has a virus or a bug. How do I remove these links to worksheets not in my possession once and for all, so I am no longer prompted to sign-in to open them?

 

Thank you!

1 Reply
Download FINDLINK from Bill Manville, it'll tell you where those links are lurking in your workbook:
https://manville.org.uk/software/findlink.htm