HOW TO: Convert an Add-in File into a Workbook in Excel 2000

This step-by-step article describes how to convert an add-in (.xla) file into a normal workbook (.xls) file that you can view and edit.

Convert Add-in to Workbook

To convert an add-in file back into a normal workbook, follow these steps:

1. On the File menu, click Open. In the Open dialog box, select the add-in file that you want to convert (for example, Test.xla), and then click Open.
2. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Visual Basic Editor (or press ALT+F11).
   
   In the Project Explorer window in the Visual Basic Editor, entries similar to the following appear
   Project name (Add-in file name)
   where Project name is the name of the Visual Basic project, and Add-in file name is the name of an add-in file.
   
   For example, entries similar to the following appear:
   MyAddIn (Test)
3. Click the plus sign (+) to the left of the entry for the add-in file.
4. If you are prompted for a password, type the password and click OK. Otherwise, proceed to step 5.
   
   NOTE: If you do not know the password for the add-in file, you cannot convert it into a normal workbook. If you know who created the add-in file, ask the creator for the password. Otherwise, you cannot continue.
   
   Entries similar to the following appear in the Project Explorer window:

   MyAddIn (Test)
        Microsoft Excel Objects
        Modules
   					

5. Click the plus sign (+) to the left of Microsoft Excel Objects.
   
   The tree should look similar to the following:

      MyAddIn (Test)
         Microsoft Excel Objects
            Sheet1 (Sheet1)
            Sheet2 (Sheet2)
            Sheet3 (Sheet3)
            ThisWorkbook
         Modules
   					

6. Click ThisWorkbook.
7. On the Tools menu, click Project name Properties.
8. Click the Protection tab. Clear the Lock project for viewing check box. Clear both the Password box and Confirm password box, and then click OK.
9. In the Properties window of the Visual Basic Editor, click IsAddin. In the box to the right of IsAddin, change the value from True to False.
10. On the File menu, click Close and Return to Microsoft Excel.
    
    The worksheets and chart sheets in the add-in file (if it contains any) should be visible.
11. On the File menu, click Save As.
12. In the Save As dialog box, click Microsoft Excel Workbook in the Save as type list. Type a new name for the workbook (for example, Test.xls) in the File name box. Click Save to save the add-in file as a normal workbook.
13. After you save the workbook, click Close on the File menu.

The add-file is converted to a workbook that can be opened, viewed, modified, and saved, just like any other workbook. Note that the add-in file is not modified by this process.

For additional informationabout how to create add-in files in Excel, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: