"This Workbook contains links to one or more external sources that could be unsafe."

[ExcelNightmares350]

Hello-  I have spent months creating a file that documents my expereince hours so that I can apply for a board certification.  We recently updated some formulas so that the spreadsheets would work better together. 

Now all of a sudden we are getting the message mentioned in the subject line everytime we open the file. If you do choose the update button we LOOSE everything that we updated. Literally nine months of data!!! 

We did not copy or paste any external links into the spreadsheet, ever. We manually typed in every formula and every data point. 

The message will NOT SHOW us where these external links are located. It only tells us if we trust the links to then we can continue (by hitting Don't Update.)  The problem is this message reoccurs 100% when you re-open the file. Those who we are sharing the file with also get this message and most do not know that they shoud hit Don't Update, and hit Update instead, thus reverting the file back to the old formulas and old data prior to the formula updates.

Is it really necessary to re-recreate the whole file and re-input nearly 14 months of data? 

[#2]

I have seen this quite a few times.
Happens when you copy and paste data from one excel workbook to the other. Instead of pasting the data, excel pastes a link to the data. Possibly a manual error or the pasting settings in one of the paerson you share the file with.

If you ignore the security warning, the last data when copied would be there. If you click on update, the data would be retrived again from the linked document.

If you want to find the link, do this:
1. in find and replace box, type '.xls' and hit 'find all'. You'll get all links referring to xls and xlsx files.

Once you find the cell, verify the existing data, then copy and paste as values on top of it.

[#3]

@NowshadAhmed 

You have to search on "xls" (without the dot).

[#4]

@NowshadAhmed 

Why does the Trust Center settings (i.e., trusted locations) not prevent this security warning from appearing?

[#5]

@NowshadAhmed   I'm having trouble with the pop up whenever I open an excel file about links to one or more external sources.  I'd like just to get rid of it.  I tried "find all xls" but it just comes up empty.  Where should I look please?

[#6]

1. Check formulas
2. Check named items in name manager
3. Check the source of data validation 'pick' lists
4. Check to see if any macro buttons are assigned to macros in an external workbook
5. Check the sources of any charts and pivottables

[#7]

@ExcelNightmares350 

Have you tried the following options:

1) Page: Customize How Excel Starts 

Specific: Prevent automatic macros from running when you start Excel

or 

2) In Excel review the settings at: File -> Options -> Trust Center -> External Content

Not sure if it solves your issue.

[#8]

First, thank you for your help. When I click on Formulas, and then on Name Manager, all I get is Define Name, Create from Selection and Defines Names, none of which have anything in a sub menu. Can you please hold my hand through this process. I just want to skip the extra step when opening a file.

[#9]

@dpkolsrud 

When I did Find under Find and Replace, I had to first use "xls" without the dot, as mentioned above, but I also had to change the setting to look Within "Workbook" to find my problem.