How to reset the Update Remote References option in Excel

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The Update Remote References calculation setting determines whether Excel updates formulas that include references to external data sources, such as Microsoft Word for Windows documents or Microsoft Access databases.

Note Excel workbooks and documents are not external data sources.

When you open a workbook, the Update Remote References setting is set according to the following table.

Version of Excel	Condition	Update Remote References check box
Excel 2000	The workbook is linked to external data. You click No when you receive the following prompt: "The workbook you opened contains automatic links to information in another workbook. Do you want to update this workbook with changes made to the other workbook?"	Cleared
Excel 2000	The workbook is linked to external data. You click Yes when you receive the following prompt: "The workbook you opened contains automatic links to information in another workbook. Do you want to update this workbook with changes made to the other workbook?"	Selected
Excel 2002	The workbook is linked to external data. You click Don't Update when you receive the following prompt: "This workbook contains links to other data sources. If you update the links, Excel attempts to retrieve the latest data. If you don't update, Excel uses the previous information."	Cleared
Excel 2002	The workbook is linked to external data. You click Update when you receive the following prompt: "This workbook contains links to other data sources. If you update the links, Excel attempts to retrieve the latest data. If you don't update, Excel uses the previous information."	Selected
Excel 2003	The workbook is linked to external data. You select Don't Update when you receive the following prompt: "This workbook contains links to other data sources. If you update the links, Excel will attempt to retrieve the latest data. If you don't update the links, Excel will use the previous information."	Cleared
Excel 2003	The workbook is linked to external data. You click Update when you receive the following prompt: "This workbook contains links to other data sources. If you update the links, Excel will attempt to retrieve the latest data. If you don't update the links, Excel will use the previous information."	Selected

To clear the Update Remote References setting in the active workbook, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options or Preferences.
2. Click the Calculation tab.
3. Click to clear the Update Remote References check box.
4. Click OK.

Sample Visual Basic procedure

The following Visual Basic code example assumes that you have a file that is called TEST.XLS that is located in the C:\EXCEL directory. The example opens the TEST.XLS file and then clears (turns off) the Update Remote References check box. As the Sub procedure opens the file, it also prevents Excel from updating any of the workbook's external or remote references.

   Sub Example()
       ' The zero after updateLinks indicates that neither external nor
       ' remote references should be updated when the file is opened.
       Workbooks.Open fileName:="C:\EXCEL\TEST.XLS", updateLinks:=0
       ' Turn off the Update Remote References setting for the workbook.
       ActiveWorkbook.UpdateRemoteReferences = False
   End Sub
				

Note The Update Remote References check box is not a universal setting. When two workbooks are open, one workbook might have its Update Remote References setting selected whereas the check box is cleared in the other workbook. However, when you open a workbook, its Update Remote References check box will be selected, no matter how it was saved, unless it contains links to an external data source.