How to Open Two Excel Files to work on Side by Side

Opening two separate Excel files to work on side by side

Sometimes, we want to have the flexibility to work on excel files side by side, not within the excel application but on 2 separate excel applications.

how do we go about doing that?

[Option A] Configure Excel first

In Excel 2007/2010, click on Office button, then Excel Options, then Advanced Tab
Under General section,  check ‘Ignore other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange’.
This method forces each Excel file as a separate instance, the memory consumption will be more. If you have memory constrain (maybe less than 512Mb of memory in computer?), may want to use option B.

[NOTE] If you have issues like excel opens but cant display a workbook, you may not use this option. .

[Option B] Open another instance of Excel

Since we want to have each worksheet in separate instances, say one Excel file in Monitor 1 and another in Monitor 2, you can go through the Start Menu ->Programs -> Microsoft Office -> Excel. Alternatively, you can right click on the shortcut and click the "Microsoft Office Excel 2007". This will also open a separate instance of Excel.
Now you can place the 2 workbooks on 2 separate monitors or as you fancy.

[NOTE] In Excel 2013, It appears that you do not need to configure anything and you can have separate instances already. :)

How to find the location of the current file in Office 2007/2010

In office 2007/2010, this is called “Document Location”.

Here’s how to enable it.

1) Click on the pull down menu on the top left of the window box (beside the Microsoft Office, save, undo, redo buttons) then click on “More commands”

2) Look for the “Document Location” and add it.

3) Click ok and you are done. The address is on the top left of the window box.

You can do this for word / excel / ppt.

Enjoy!

How to release file lock for Microsoft Office document which is Locked for editing by another user

Just to share, if you ever open up an Excel or Winword file (esp shared ones) and being prompted as titled although no one seems to be opening the file.

Try the following,

Approach the guys who is the ‘another user’, and if he/she is on Windows 7,

• Open up windows explorer
• Go to Menu -> Tools -> Folder Options
• Select the View tab.
• Uncheck the “Show preview handlers in preview pane” and click on “Apply”
• Check the “Show preview handlers in preview pane” and click on “Apply”

Suspect the preview handler might have some kind of a deadlock, thus unable to release the lock on the file.
Hope it helps.