XL2000: Errors Saving to an Earlier File Format When Transition Formula Evaluation Is Enabled

When you save your file, you receive one or more error messages similar to the following: followed by: followed by: Where Filename is the name of the file that you are saving and File format is the file format in which you are saving the file.

If you choose to save the file following these error messages, then when you reopen the file, Excel will convert the formula in the cells referenced to:

This problem occurs when the following conditions are true:

• You saved your file to one of the following file formats:
  
  
  • Microsoft Excel 5.0/95 Workbook
  • Microsoft Excel 97-2000 & 5.0/95 Workbook
  • Microsoft Excel 4.0 Worksheet
  • Microsoft Excel 4.0 Workbook
  
  
  -and-
  
  
• Your worksheet contains any of the following functions:
  
  
  • AVERAGE
  • MIN
  • MAX
  • STDEV
  • STDEVP
  • VAR
  • VARP
  
  
  -and-
  
  
• The Transition formula evaluation check box on the Transition tab of the Options dialog box is selected.

To work around the problem, use either of the following methods.

Method 1: Disable Transition Formula Evaluation

To disable Transition Formula Evaluation, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. On the Transition tab, click to clear the Transition formula evaluation check box, and then click OK.

Method 2: Use the Corresponding "A" Function

For each of the functions listed in the "Cause" section of this article, Excel includes a set of functions that are designed to be 100 percent compatible with Lotus 1-2-3. These functions are known as the "A" functions because all of the function names end with the letter A.

For additional information about using the A functions, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: