Finding external formula links in Excel

I work with a lot of Excel spreadsheets. I mark using Excel, because Excel adds up so beautifully, using tick boxes to mark things present - or to indicate that those things are not present. The result is a map of what has been done, what has not been done: and what grade that results in. And I have found I get a more objective mark because of those tickboxes: I might think a student has turned in B grade work in one section to find that they actually turned in A grade when I marked each element. The ability to do a personal double-check and to potentially reconsider the grade is very useful.

However, a few times I have inadvertently copied a formula from one spreadsheet to another (probably in haste as I am saving, closing, and packing up for the day. I tend to only find my error on reopening the spreadsheet to get a weird message, as per the image accompanying this post ("This workbook contains links to one or more external sources that could be unsafe"). When this happens, I sigh, click "Don't update", and then go looking for how to find and break external links in Excel. Again.

Because this happens so rarely, I don't remember the process. So THIS time it happened, I decided to write a blog post about it so I can self-solve next time! 

An internet search found me a great set of instructions by Tsitlidze (2022). Breaking inadvertent links is done as follows:

• In the Ribbon, go to the Data menu, and in the Queries and Connections area, click on the Edit Links icon
• This will open the Edit Links dialogue box, where we will see all external links
• Highlight the link to be broken (mouse click) then click the "Break Link" button
• Close
• Save and close the workbook.

The next time we go to open the workbook, all should be ticketty boo.

Sam

Reference:

Tsitlidze, L. (2022, November 14). How to Find Cells Linked to External Sources in Excel. Automate Excel. https://www.automateexcel.com/how-to/find-external-links/