ACC97: PivotTable Wizard Err Using MS Excel 7.0 in MS Access 97

• Microsoft Access 97
• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a

SYMPTOMS

Moderate: Requires basic macro, coding, and interoperability skills.

If you try to invoke the PivotTable Wizard when you have Microsoft Excel version 7.0 or 7.0a installed, the PivotTable Wizard will return the following error message when it starts Microsoft Excel:

   An error occurred while trying to use Microsoft Excel pivot wizard.
   Microsoft Excel returned the following error:

   "Problems obtaining data."

CAUSE

The Microsoft Excel PivotTable Wizard Add-in that is included in Microsoft Access 97 is trying to open in Microsoft Excel 7.0 or 7.0a. The wizard was designed to work with Microsoft Excel 97.

RESOLUTION

You must have a copy of Microsoft Excel 97 installed on your computer before you can use the PivotTable Wizard in Microsoft Access 97.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

The following steps assume that you have Microsoft Excel 7.0 or 7.0a installed on your computer.

1. Open the sample database Northwind.mdb in Microsoft Access 97.

2. In the Database window, select the Forms tab, and then click New.

3. In the New Form box, click PivotTable Wizard and select the Categories table in the "Choose the table or query where the object's data comes from" box, and then click OK.

4. Click Next on the first screen of the PivotTable Wizard.

5. On the screen marked "Which fields would you like to include in your PivotTable?", add all the fields in the Available Fields box to the "Fields Chosen for Pivoting box," and then click Next.

   Note that you receive the error message mentioned in the "Symptoms" section.

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