Is there a way to view two files in Excel, each in its own container (like in IE or Word)? With two monitors it's really annoying to not be able to copy and paste, or even view, two full-screen spreadsheets at once.

I couldn't find anything on Google, but if it's possible I assume it should be easy.

 

Just run two instances of Excel (i.e., click on the Excel application shortcut in the Start Menu twice, as opposed to double clicking on Excel files in Explorer).

I've made a few changes to my system so that it starts a new instance of Excel (i.e., new process, as opposed to using the existing process, as per default) when you double click on an Excel file, but this is probably more work than you are willing to do.

Hope this helps.

 

Seriously, there's no toggle to do it? You have to load two copies in memory? I can't understand the reason for changing Excel in the first place. The older versions allowed for multiple windows.

 

I could be wrong, as far as I know, Excel never allowed that. I'm using Excel 2000 at home where I need to run each window as a separate process (i.e., two copies in memory as you put it). I am not sure about the older versions. I could have sworn that Excel XP allowed multiple windows per process. But I use Excel 2003 at work, and I can't seem to get the multi windows interface... (I haven't really looked that hard though, so I may be missing something).

 

Interesting, this doesn't apply to Word, I never noticed (I don't use Word all that often though).

 

Try this:

Tools>Options

On the view tab, check the box "Windows in Taskbar"

I'm pretty sure that's what you are looking for.

 

Nope. That just puts a button in the taskbar for every file open. It's all still in one window (i.e., you can put two windows side by side).

I totally understand flitcroft's frustration, because this is definitely one of my Excel peeves. So much so I made a couple of registry hacks, and learnt a little bit of VBA so that I can customize Excel the way I like it.

 

hmm... what I to might only be a band aid fix:


Window>Arrange>Horizontal

I use this to cut and paste data from one Spreadsheet to another (Excel 2003)

 

I'm not positive if Excel ever did it, but my coworker that asked me to hunt for a solution today told me he had it that way just a few months ago on an older version. He's our lead systems guy so I believe him -- he was probably copying and pasting IP ranges across two worksheets or something

nite670, that's a handy feature for Word but in Excel it's just odd. Even if you have two entries on the taskbar you get only one window titled Excel. You still have to "restore" (or un-maximize) one of your documents to see the second one. This is one of the reasons why I thought there had to be an option for multiple windows. That feature makes no sense to me with Excel using only one window.

nVz2000, I saw that option right away but I run two monitors and for me to use them both I have to have two complete windows.

So far it looks like two separate processes is the way to go. I'll grudgingly do that from now on. Man, if I used Excel any more than just a few hours a week I'd definitely hack up my registry. I'm surprised no one out there has written detailed instructions on how to force Excel into multiple windows.

 

are you trying to change between each spreadsheet or place them both on the same screen?

If you are going to change btwn each file just hit CTRL / TAB.