You receive a nonsecure items message in Internet Explorer when you open an HTML workbook that does not contain nonsecure items in Excel

You save a Microsoft Excel multi-sheet workbook as a Web page (.htm or .html file). Then, you use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to view the workbook from a Web site in Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 or in a later version of Windows Internet Explorer. When you do this, you receive the following message: The workbook does not contain nonsecure items. The message is misleading.

Excel adds script code in the workbook. The script code adds empty HREF tags to frames that are controlled by script. Because of a change in Internet Explorer behavior, Internet Explorer treats an empty HREF tag as an HTTP resource. Internet Explorer treats this HTTP resource as insecure because the page itself came from an HTTPS Web site. Therefore, you receive the message about the nonsecure items.

To work around this problem, save the workbook as a single file Web page (.mht or .mhtml file). To do this, follow these steps, as appropriate for the version of Excel that you are running.

Microsoft Office Excel 2007

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button, and the click Save As.
2. In the Save as type box, click Single File Web Page (*.mht; *.mhtml).
3. Type the file name in the File name box, and then click Save.

Microsoft Office Excel 2003 and earlier versions of Excel

1. On the File menu, click Save as Web Page.
2. In the Save as type box, click Single File Web Page (*.mht; *.mhtml).
3. Type the file name in the File name box, and then click Save.