XL: Cannot Open Multiplan Files

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

SYMPTOMS

In the versions of Microsoft Excel listed at the beginning of this article, if you try to open a MultiPlan file in Microsoft Excel, the file fails to open and you receive one of the following error messages.

If you try to open a MultiPlan file in Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 7.0, you will receive the following error message:

   Microsoft Excel needs a converter to open this MultiPlan file. Run
   the Microsoft Excel Setup program to install it.

   This file is not in a recognizable format.

CAUSE

You experience this problem because the MultiPlan converter is not provided with the versions of Microsoft Excel listed at the beginning of this article.

NOTE: When you try to open a MultiPlan file in Microsoft Excel for Windows, version 7.0, the error message that you receive is incorrect. You cannot install a MultiPlan converter by running Microsoft Excel 7.0 Setup.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, do either of the following:

• Open the MultiPlan file in Microsoft Excel version 5.0 and save the file as a Microsoft Excel workbook file. You should then be able to open the file because Microsoft Excel version 5.0 includes a MultiPlan converter.

      -or-
  

• Open the file in MultiPlan and export it into the Symbolic Link (SYLK) file format. The versions of Microsoft Excel listed at the beginning of this article have a built-in converter for the SYLK file format.

   ARTICLE-ID: Q136385
   TITLE     : WD95: Supported Foreign File Formats in Word and Office 95