Chapter 7: Understanding Excel Files
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Caution
Passwords are case sensitive. Be careful with this option because it is impossible to open the workbook (using
normal methods) if you forget the password. Also, remember that Excel passwords can be cracked, so it’s not a
perfect security measure. n
Organizing Your Files .......................................................................................................
If you have hundreds of Excel files, you might have a problem locating the workbook that you
need. Using descriptive filenames can help, and using folders and subfolders (with descriptive
names) also makes it easier to find the particular file you need. In some cases, though, that’s not
enough.Fortunately, Excel lets you assign a variety of descriptive information (sometimes known as meta-
data) to a workbook. These are known as document properties. This information includes such
items as the author, title, subject, and so on.When you choose File ➪ Info you can view (or modify) the document properties for the active
workbook. This information is shown on the right side of the screen (see Figure 7.4).Tip
If you aren’t seeing all the properties for your workbook, click the down-arrow on Properties and select Show
All Properties Another option on the Document Properties drop-down list is Show Document Panel. Choosing
this command displays the properties in a panel below the Ribbon. n
When you use the Open dialog box, you can specify additional columns to display. Start by click-
ing Views (at the top of the Open dialog box) and then choose Details. Right-click the column
header to see a list of other properties to include. Click the More option for a longer list of proper-
ties (see Figure 7.5).You can sort the file list in the Open dialog box by a particular column by clicking the column
heading. Also, notice that each heading is actually a drop-down list. Click the drop-down arrow,
and you can filter the list to show only files that match the selected properties.Using document properties lets you work with files as if they were in a database. The key, of
course, is taking the time to ensure that the document properties are actually assigned, and are
accurate.Tip
If you would like to be prompted to ensure that the document properties are correct, choose
Developer ➪ Modify ➪ Document Panel. In the Document Information Panel dialog box, select the Always
Show Document Information Panel on Document Open and Initial Save check box. If the Developer tab isn’t
visible, use the Customize Ribbon panel in the Excel Options dialog box to display it. n