XL: Cannot Open Multiplan Files

ID: Q147272

The information in this article applies to:

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.

If you try to open a MultiPlan file in Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows, you will receive the following error message:

   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.

For additional information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

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

Additional query words: convert import

Keywords          : kberrmsg kbinterop kbsetup xlloadsave 
Version           : WINDOWS:7.0,7.0a,97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: April 29, 1999