Ways to Fix the “Failed to Parse the Corrupted Excel File” Error

Summary: While parsing an Excel file, you may experience the “Failed to parse the corrupted Excel file” error. It usually occurs if the Excel file is corrupt. This blog covers some easy fixes to fix this Excel error. It also mentions an advanced Excel repair tool that can help fix the issue by repairing the corrupted file.

You may encounter the “Failed to parse the corrupted Excel file” error when parsing (extracting or converting) the data in an Excel file. This error usually occurs if the Excel file is corrupted – either completely or partially (some of its objects, like formulas, macros, and values are corrupt). However, there are various other reasons that may lead to this Excel error. Let’s know the possible causes behind the “Failed to parse the corrupted Excel file” error and how to fix it.

Causes of the “Failed to parse the corrupted Excel file” Error

This error could occur due to any of the following causes:

• Damaged or corrupted macros
• Excel document is closed suddenly
• Issues with Excel application installation
• Virus or malware attack
• Hardware failure
• Bad sectors on the hard drive

Ways to Fix the “Failed to parse the corrupted Excel file” Error

Here are some possible ways to fix this error and recover the Excel file.

Method 1: Try to Save the File in a Different Format

Sometimes, the error can occur if the file format is not compatible with your Excel version. You can try saving the file to a different format. To do this, follow the below steps:

• Open the Excel file.
• Click on the File option and then select Save As.
• Click on Browse option and then click Save as Type.

• Select the desired Excel file format and click Save.

Method 2: Revert to the Previously Saved Version of the Excel File

You can try reverting to the previously saved version of the Excel file. Here’s how:

• Open your Excel application.
• Navigate to File > Info > Manage Workbook.

• Click Recover unsaved workbooks.

• Click on the Restore option you see at the top of the file.

Method 3: Set the Calculation Option to Manual

When the calculation mode is set to automatic, Excel automatically recalculates all the formulas in the file even if you make a minor change. It can take time to load the file and stop you from parsing data in your Excel file. You can change the calculation option to manual so that Excel only recalculates when you explicitly tell the application to do it. Here are the steps:

• Open your Excel application.
• Navigate to File and then click Options.
• In Excel Options, select Formulas.
• Under Workbook Calculation, select Manual and click OK.

Method 4: Use Open and Repair Utility

You can try repairing the corrupted Excel file with Excel’s inbuilt tool – Open and Repair . To use the tool, follow the steps cited below:

• In Excel, go to the File tab and then click Open.
• Click Browse to select the corrupted file.
• The Open dialog box will appear. Click on the corrupted file.
• Click on the arrow next to the Open button and then click Open and Repair.
• You will see a dialog box with three buttons Repair, Extract Data, and Cancel.

• Click on the Repair button to recover as much of your work as possible.
• After repair, a message will appear (as shown in the below figure).

• Click Close.

What If None of the Above Methods Works?

The above methods may fail to work if the Excel file is severely damaged. In such a case, we recommend using an efficient Excel repair tool , such as Stellar Repair for Excel. It can quickly repair corrupted Excel (.XLS/.XLSX) files. It can recover all the objects from the file, including charts, tables, formulas, etc. You can download the free trial version of the tool to preview the recoverable data.

Conclusion

Above, we have discussed some tried and tested methods to fix the “Failed to parse the corrupted Excel file” error. If the Excel file is severely damaged or corrupted, you can try repairing it using a third-party Excel repair software, like Stellar Repair for Excel . It can repair multiple Excel files without affecting the original formatting. The tool is compatible with all Excel versions.

How to fix runtime error 424 object required error in Excel

The Runtime error 424: Object required occurs when Excel is not able to recognize an object that you are referring to in a VBA code. The object can be a workbook, worksheet, range, variable, class, macro, etc. Some users have also reported that this error occurred when they tried to copy the values of the cells from one workbook to another.

Let’s understand the error through a small scenario. Suppose, I want to check the last field row in a table in a spreadsheet named “First” using the VBA code. To do this, I have added a command button and double-clicked on it and entered the below code in the backend:

Private Sub CommandButton2_Click()

Dim LRow As Integer

LRow = Worksheets(“First”).Cells(Rows.Count, 2).End(xlUp).Row

MsgBox (“Last Row “ & LRow)

End Sub

In this code, Worksheets(“First”) is a data object. If I mistakenly delete this data object and insert any random name (for example - kanada), then it will not be recognized by Excel. When I run this code, I will get the “Run-time error 424”.

Causes of Runtime Error 424 in Excel

The Runtime error 424: Object required can occur due to the following reasons:

• Incorrect name of the object you are trying to refer to in a code.
• You have provided an invalid qualifier to an object.
• You have not used the Set statement while assigning an object reference.
• The object is corrupted.
• Missing objects in a workbook.
• Objects you are trying to call in a code are mistakenly deleted or unavailable.
• You have used an incorrect syntax for object declaration.
• You are trying to perform an invalid action on an object in a code.
• Workbook is corrupted.

Solutions to Fix Runtime Error 424: Object Required in Excel

The VBA error ‘object required’ may occur due to different reasons. Based on the reason, you can follow the solutions mentioned below to fix the error.

1. Check the Name of the Object

The Runtime error 424 can occur when you run the VBA code using an incorrect name of the object. For example, the object name is ‘MyObject’ but you’re using “Backcolor”.

 When you click the Debug button, the line with the error will highlight.

To fix the issue, you need to provide the correct name of the object.

2. Check if the Object is Missing

 The Runtime error 424 can occur if the object you are referring to as a method is not available or you are using the wrong object in a code. In the below example, you can see that the error occurs when an object named “Employee” is not available in the Project list.

 You can check and mention the object which is available. For instance, Sheet2 in the below code.

3. Check All References are Declared in the Code

You can get the Runtime error 424 if all the references are not declared. So, make sure you have declared all the references in the code. To verify this, you can use the debug mode by pressing F5 or clicking on the Debug option.

4. Check the Macro Security Settings

Sometimes, the error can occur if macros are disabled in the Macro Security settings. You can check and change the settings by following these steps:

• On the Developer tab, in the Code section, click Macro Security.
• In the Trust Center window, select Enable all macros.

• Click OK.

5. Repair your Workbook

Sometimes, the ‘Object required’ error can occur if your Excel file is damaged or corrupted. In such a case, you can try repairing the file using Microsoft’s in-built utility - Open and Repair. To use this utility, follow these steps:

• In Excel, go to File > Open > Browse.
• In the Open dialog box, click on the corrupted Excel file.
• Click the arrow next to the Open button and select Open and Repair from the dropdown.
• Select Repair to recover as much data from the file as possible.

If the Open and Repair utility fails or stops working, then you can try a professional Excel repair tool, such as Stellar Repair for Excel . It is an advanced tool that can repair severely corrupted Excel files (.xls, .xlsx, .xltm, .xltx, and .xlsm). It helps recover all the file components, including images, charts, tables, pivot tables, cell comments, chart sheets, formulas, etc., without impacting the original structure.

Conclusion

The Runtime error 424 usually occurs when there is an issue with the objects in your VBA code. In this article, we have covered some effective methods to resolve the “object required” error in Excel. If the error occurs due to corruption in Excel file, then you can repair the corrupt file using Stellar Repair for Excel. It is a reliable tool that can repair severely corrupted Excel file without changing its actual formatting. You can download the free trial version of the software to evaluate its functionality.

Repair Office 2016 Files (Word, Excel and PowerPoint)on Windows

If you frequently work with Microsoft Word (.docx), Excel (.xlsx), and PowerPoint (.pptx) files, then issues like file inaccessibility or corruption won’t be new to you.

Let’s discuss some common scenarios which may lead to corrupt MS Office 2016 files:

Scenarios behind Microsoft Office Files Corruption

Scenario 1 – Disruption during Data Migration

You decide to move Office files from your hard drive to other removable media. However, when you try to access the data within the files post-migration, you may find Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files showing gibberish characters. Due to a power surge, sudden system shutdown, and internal mechanical failure, the files may have turned corrupt.

Figure 1- Microsoft Word file showing garbage characters

Scenario 2 – Office Files and Registry Entries Become Infected

When you open or use the Microsoft Office application, it crashes as soon as it opens. You assume that an add-in was causing the problem and restart the Office application without add-ins loaded, but the application still crashes. This may happen because of a virus infecting the Office files and registry values, thus leading to corrupt or damaged Office files.

Scenario 3 – Inaccessible or Lost Data

Suppose all your Office files are stored on a USB device, and you unplugged the device while it was still open in Windows. Now, when you attempt to open a Word or an Excel file, all the data is gone. Unsafe removal of USB or any other external storage device may corrupt the data inside your Office files or turn the file inaccessible.

How Can You Deal with Microsoft Office Files Corruption?

Here are a few solutions that can help you fix or repair Office 2016 Files Corruption:

Solution 1 – Use Microsoft in-built Repair Utility

Microsoft recommends using its in-built repair utility, ‘Open and Repair’, to fix corrupt Office files. Follow these steps to understand how you can use the utility to repair the corrupt Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files:

• Launch the MS Office application whose file you want to repair:

1. To repair corrupt Word (.doc, .docx) files, launch MS Word
2. To repair corrupt Excel files (.xls, .xlsx) files, launch MS Excel
3. To repair corrupt PowerPoint (.ppt, .pptx) files, launch MS PowerPoint

• Click File, and then click the Open tab.
• Click Navigate to the location or folder where the Word, Excel, or PowerPoint file is stored.
• Select the corrupt file you want to repair by single-clicking on it, and then find the Open button and click on the drop-down menu next to it.

• From the drop-down menu, click the Open and Repair option and follow the subsequent instructions to repair Office 2016 files.

Solution 2 – Repair Office 2016 Installation

Try repairing the Office installation to fix the MS Office files. The steps to repair your Office installation may vary depending on the operating system you are using.

For Windows 7

• Open your PC’s control panel
• Click Programs

• Click Programs and Features, and then click Uninstall a program option

• Right-click on the Office application you want to repair, and then click Change

• Under Change your installation of Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016, choose Repair and then click Continue.

For Windows 10

• Right-click the Start button, and type in Apps & Features (For Windows 10)

NOTE: This step will work for Windows 10/8/8.1/7 and Vista

• Click Programs from the window that opens, click on the MS Office product you want to repair, and then click on Modify

Note: Following the step will repair the entire Microsoft Office suite even if it contains only one application you want to repair such as an Excel or PowerPoint file. But, in case you have a standalone app installed, try to locate that application by name.

• Under Change your installation of Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2016, choose Repair, and then click Continue to initiate the repair process.

• Once the repair process completes, you’ll be prompted to restart your PC. Click Yes

Solution 3 – Use Stellar Toolkit for File Repair

Repair MS Office 2016 files by using Stellar Toolkit for File Repair . This software comprises four essential utilities that can help you repair corrupt MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint, and PDF files.

The toolkit helps repair corrupt Office 2016 and other version documents and files while maintaining the original file format, which is less likely achievable with inbuilt methods. Follow these steps to repair MS Office 2016 documents by using the Office file repair tool:

• Download and install Stellar Toolkit for File Repair.

• Launch the software.
• From the software’s main interface, select the MS Office file you want to repair.

• From the window that pops up, select the corrupted file to be repaired.

Note: If you don’t know the exact location of corrupt office files or if they are large in number, you can locate the files by using the Find/Search option included in the software.

• After selecting the file, click the Scan button to initiate the repairing process.
• Once the scanning process is complete, all the recoverable information is displayed in the software’s left-hand panel. Click on any item to preview it before recovery.
• To save the repaired data, click the Save button, and enter a destination of your choice.
• Click OK.

Conclusion

This post outlined possible scenarios and their causes that may lead to corruption in MS Office 2016 files. It also emphasized how the inbuilt methods such as Open and Repair, and Repair Office Installation help to resolve the corruption issues. But these are not competent enough to resolve all the errors. With Stellar Toolkit for File Repair, you can resolve all sorts of corruption issues and recover data of Office 2016 files – Excel, Word, PPT, and PDF – in their original state.

How Can I Recover Corrupted Excel File 2016?

Error Messages Indicating Corruption in Excel File

• When an Excel 2016 file turns corrupt, you’ll receive an error message that reads: “The file is corrupt and cannot be opened .”

• But sometimes, you encounter the “Excel cannot open this file” error message due to corruption in the file.

Why does Excel File turn Corrupt?

Following are some common reasons that can turn an Excel file corrupt:

• Large size of the Excel file
• The file is virus infected
• Hard drive on which Excel file is stored has developed bad sectors
• Abrupt system shutdown while working on a worksheet

Workarounds to Recover Data from Corrupt Excel

The workarounds to recover corrupted Excel file 2016 data will vary depending on whether you can open the file or not.

How to Recover Corrupted Excel File 2016 Data When You Can Open the File?

If the corrupt Excel file is open, try any of the following workarounds to retrieve the data:

Workaround 1 – Use the Recover Unsaved Workbooks Option

If your Excel file gets corrupt while you are working on it and you haven’t saved the changes, you can try retrieving the file’s data by following these steps:

• Open your Excel 2016 application and click on the Open Other Workbooks option.

• Click the Recover Unsaved Workbooks button at the bottom of the ‘Recent Workbooks’ section.

• A window with list of unsaved Excel files will open. Click the corrupt file you want to open.

This will reopen your last saved version of the Excel workbook. If this method doesn’t work, proceed with the next workaround.

Workaround 2 – Revert to Last Saved Version of your Excel File

If your Excel file gets corrupt in the middle of making any changes, you can recover the file’s data if the changes haven’t been saved. For this, you need to revert to the last saved version of your Excel file. Doing so will discard any changes that may have caused the file to turn corrupt. Here’s how to do it:

• In your Excel 2016 file, click File from the main menu.
• Click Open. From the list of workbooks under Recent workbooks, double-click the corrupt workbook that is already open in Excel.
• Click Yes when prompted to reopen the workbook.

Excel will revert the corrupt file to its last saved version. If it fails, skip to the next workaround.

Workaround 3 – Save the Corrupted Excel File in Symbolic Link (SYLK) Format

Saving an Excel file in SYLK format might help you filter out corrupted elements from the file. Here are the steps to do so:

• From your Excel File menu, choose Save As.
• In ‘Save As’ window that pops-up, from the Save as type dropdown list, choose the SYLK (Symbolic Link) option, and then click Save.

Note: Only the active sheet will be saved in workbook on choosing the SYLK format.

• Click OK when prompted that “The selected file type does not support workbooks that contain multiple sheets”. This will only save the active sheet.

• Click Yes when the warning message appears - “Some features in your workbook might be lost if you save it as SYLK (Symbolic Link)”.

• Click File > Open.
• Browse the corrupt workbook saved with SYLK format (.slk) and open it.
• After opening the file, select File > Save As.
• In ‘Save as type’ dialog box, select Excel workbook.
• Rename the workbook and hit the Save button.

After performing these steps, a copy of your original workbook will be saved at the specified location.

How to Recover Corrupted Excel File 2016 Data When You Cannot Open the File?

If you can’t access the Excel file, apply one of these workarounds to salvage the file’s data.

Workaround 1 – Open and Repair the Excel File

Excel automatically initiates ‘File Recovery’ mode on opening a corrupt file. After starting the auto-recovery mode, it attempts to reopen and repair the corrupt Excel file at the same time. If the auto-recovery mode does not start automatically, you can try to fix corrupted Excel file 2016 manually by using ‘Open and Repair’. Follow these steps:

• Open a blank file, click the File tab and select Open.
• Browse the location where the corrupt 2016 Excel file is stored.
• When an ‘Open’ dialog box appears, select the file you want to repair.
• Once the file is selected, click the arrow next to the Open button, and then click the Open and Repair button.
• Do any of these actions:
• Click Repair to fix corrupted file and recover data from it.
• Click Extract Data if you cannot repair the file or only need to extract values and formulas.

If performing these actions doesn’t help you retrieve the data, proceed with the next workaround.

Workaround 2 – Disable the Protected View Settings

Follow these steps to disable the protected view settings in an Excel file:

• Open a blank 2016 workbook.

• Click the File tab and then select Options.

• When an Excel Options window opens, click Trust Center > Trust Center Settings.

• In the window that pops-up, choose Protected View from the left side navigation. Under ‘Protected View’, uncheck all the checkboxes, and then hit OK.

Now, try opening your corrupt Excel 2016 file. If it won’t open, try the next workaround.

Workaround 3 – Link to the Corrupt Excel File using External References

If you only need to extract Excel file data without formulas or calculated values, use external references to link to your corrupt Excel 2016 file. Here’s how you can do it:

• From your Excel file, click File > Open.
• From the window that opens, click Computer and then click Browse and copy the name of your corrupt Excel 2016 file. Click the Cancel button.

• Go back to your Excel file, click File > New > Blank workbook.

• In the new Excel workbook, type “=CorruptExcelFile Name!A1” in cell A1 to reference cell A1 of the corrupted file. Replace the ‘CorruptExcelFile Name’ with the name of the corrupt file that you have copied above. Hit ENTER.
• If ‘Update Values’ dialog box appears, select the corrupt 2016 Excel file, and then click OK.
• If ‘Select Sheet’ dialog box pops-up, select a corrupt sheet, and press the OK button.
• Select and drag cell A1 till the columns required to store the data of your corrupted Excel file.
• Next, copy row A and drag it down to the rows needed to save the file’s data.
• Select and copy the file’s data.
• From the Edit menu, choose the Paste Special option and then select Values. Click OK to paste values and remove the reference links to the corrupt file.

Check the new Excel file for recoverable data. If this didn’t work, consider using an Excel file repair tool to retrieve data.

Alternative Solution to Recover Excel File Data

Applying the above workarounds may take considerable time to recover corrupted Excel file 2016. Also, they may fail to extract data from a severely corrupted file. Using Stellar Repair for Excel software can help you overcome these limitations. The software helps repair severely corrupted XLS/XLSX file and retrieve all the file data in a few simple steps.

Key benefits of using Stellar Repair for Excel are as follows:

• Recovers tables, pivot tables, images, charts, chartsheets, hidden sheets, etc.
• Maintains original spreadsheet properties and cell formatting
• Batch repair multiple Excel XLS/XLSX files in a single go
• Supports MS Excel 2019, 2016, 2013, and previous versions

Check out this video to know how the Excel file repair tool from Stellar® works:

Conclusion

Errors such as ‘the file is corrupt and cannot be opened’, ‘Excel cannot open this file’, etc. indicate corruption in an Excel file. Large-sized workbook, virus infection, bad sectors on hard disk drive, etc. are some reasons that may result in Excel file corruption. The workarounds discussed in this article can help you recover corrupted Excel file 2016 data. However, manual methods can be time-consuming and might fail to extract data from severely corrupted workbook. A better alternative is to use Stellar Repair for Excel software that is purpose-built to repair and recover data from damaged or corrupted Excel file.

Fixed “Cannot Insert Object” Error in Excel | Step-by-Step Guide

Summary: The error “cannot insert object” in MS Excel can prevent you from modifying objects in the worksheet. This blog will discuss the primary reasons behind this error and the possible solutions to fix it. You will also learn about a professional Excel repair software that can help fix the error if it has occurred due to corruption in Excel file.

Many users have reported encountering the “cannot insert object” error while adding/embedding objects into the Excel file. It usually occurs when using Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) to add content (PDF, Microsoft documents) from external applications to worksheet. The error can also occur when using ActiveX control in Excel. Below, we’ll explain why you cannot insert object into Excel sheet and how to troubleshoot the issue.

Why the “Cannot Insert Object” Error Occurs?

• Macro Settings can prevent the insertion of objects into a workbook.
• The Excel file in which you are trying to add an element is corrupted.
• The object (you are inserting into the workbook) is damaged.
• Object size limitations.
• System’s insufficient memory might prevent new objects’ addition.
• Incompatible Excel file format.
• Add-ins controls are disabled.
• Incompatible or faulty Add-ins.
• Issue with Security Settings.

Methods to Fix the “Cannot Insert Object” Error in Excel

You may encounter the “Cannot insert object” error when trying to add an element stored on a network. It can occur due to issues with the file link, such as incorrect file location. In such a case, you can check the link by selecting the link to file option from the Insert tab.

Sometimes, the error can occur if the file in which you are trying to insert the object is locked and password-protected. In this case, you can unprotect the Excel file . If the issue still persists, then you can follow the below methods.

Method 1: Check and Change Restricted Security Settings

Excel provides security settings to protect your workbook. Sometimes, these settings can prevent inserting objects in the file. You can change the security settings to allow Excel to insert objects. To do so, follow these steps:

• Open your Excel application.
• Locate the File and then click Options.
• In Excel Options, click Trust Center.

• Click Trust Center Settings.
• In the Trust Center Settings window, select Protected View from the left pane.

• Under Protected View, unselect the below three options:
• Enable Protected View for files originating from the internet.
• Enable Protected View for files located in potentially unsafe locations.
• Enable Protected View for Outlook attachments.

• Click OK.
• Once you’re done with this, click on Macro Settings in the Trust Center window.
• Under Macro Settings, make sure “Disable all macros without notification” is not selected. If it is selected, then unselect it. After that, click OK.

• Restart Excel to apply the changes.

Method 2: Uninstall Microsoft Office Updates

You can also encounter the “Cannot insert object” error in Excel after installing MS Office updates. It might be due to the issues with the installed updates. To fix this, you can uninstall the recently installed Office updates. To uninstall the Office updates, follow these steps:

• Go to the system’s Control Panel.
• Click Programs and then click Program and Features.
• Search for “View Installed Updates” and click on the desired Office updates.
• Right-click on it and then click Uninstall.
• Follow the uninstallation steps on the screen.
• Once the process is complete, restart the system.

Method 3: Check Memory Usage

The “Cannot insert object” issue can also occur if your system is low on memory. You can check and close unnecessary processes and applications running in the background to free up memory. To do so, follow these steps:

• Press CTRL + ALT + DEL on the keyboard and click Task Manager.
• Click on the Processes tab and search for any unnecessary processes.
• Right-click on the process and then select End Task.
• Restart Excel to see if the issue is fixed.

Method 4: Check Excel File Size

If your Excel file size exceeds the prescribed limit, it can also lead to the “Cannot insert Excel object” error. So, check the Excel file size. You can reduce the file size by removing unnecessary objects, such as formulas or images.

Method 5: Check and Change Excel ActiveX Settings

You can get the “Excel cannot insert object” error if your Excel file contains macros, controls, and other interactive buttons. It usually occurs if the ActiveX Controls option is disabled. You can check and change the ActiveX Settings to fix the issue. Here are the steps:

• Open your Excel application.
• Navigate to File and then click Options.
• In Excel Options, click the Trust Center tab.
• In the Trust Center Settings, click ActiveX Settings.
• Under ActiveX Settings, make sure the “Enable all controls without restrictions and without prompting” option is selected.

• If the option is not selected, then select it and click OK.
• Restart the Excel and check if the error is fixed or not.

Method 6: Repair the Excel Workbook

The “Cannot insert object” error can occur if the object you are trying to insert is corrupted or the file in which you are inserting the object is damaged. If the issue has occurred due to a corrupted Excel file, then you can repair the file using the Open and Repair utility in MS Excel. To use this Microsoft-inbuilt utility, follow these steps:

• In the Excel application, go to the File tab and then click Open.
• Click Browse to choose the affected file.
• The Open dialog box is displayed. Click on the corrupted file.
• Click on the arrow next to the Open button and then click Open and Repair.
• Click on Repair.

• After repair, a message will appear (as shown in the below figure).

• Click Close.

If the Open and Repair utility fails to fix the issue, then try a professional Excel Repair software, like Stellar Repair for Excel. It is designed to repair severely corrupted Excel files. It can restore all the Excel file objects, such as tables, charts, formulas, etc. It helps fix all types of corruption related errors. The software is compatible with all versions of Excel.

Conclusion

You might encounter the “Cannot insert object” error when embedding or inserting objects in Excel. In this post, we have discussed the possible solutions to fix this error. We have also mentioned an Excel repair software that can help to easily repair the corrupted Excel file and recover all the data. You can download the Stellar Repair for Excel’s free demo version to preview the recoverable objects of the corrupted Excel file.

Fix Cannot Paste the Data Error in Microsoft Excel

When copying and pasting the cell contents or attributes from one workbook to another, you can encounter the “Cannot paste the data” error. The error indicates that the values you are trying to paste do not match the cell format (Currency, Date, Text, etc.) used in the column. The error can occur if you are attempting to paste information into a merged cell. You can also get this error if the data you are trying to paste contains more columns than the destination worksheet can accept or if the copy area and paste area aren’t the same size.

Why you cannot Paste the Data in Microsoft Excel?

You can experience the “Excel cannot paste the data” error due to one of the following reasons:

• Locked cells
• Data size limitation
• Formatting issues
• The file size is too large
• Overloaded clipboard
• Data type mismatch
• Invalid range
• Lack of permissions
• Excel file is corrupted
• Compatibility issues
• While pasting the merged cells

Methods to Fix MS Excel Cannot Paste the Data Error

The “Microsoft Excel cannot paste the data” error usually appears when copying and pasting data within the spreadsheet. It primarily affects the copy-and-paste feature within the Excel file. However, the impact of this error may vary with the data you are working with. When this error occurs, first try restarting the Excel application. Ensure that you’ve saved all your important data before restarting the application to prevent data loss. If, after performing this basic step, you still face the issue, then try the following troubleshooting methods.

Method 1: Check and Unlock Cells in Excel

You can get the Excel cannot paste the data error if the cells you are trying to paste in the Excel file are locked. You can check and unlock the specific cells in the Excel file using the below steps:

• Go to the Home tab in your Excel file and click Format Cell Font popup launcher.

• In the Format Cells dialog box, click Protection.

• Under the Protection option, unselect the locked field and then click OK.

Method 2: Check and Fix the Cell Format

Sometimes, you can get the “Cannot paste the data” error in Excel if there is an issue with the formatting of the cells in the column (in which you are trying to paste the data). You can check whether the cell formats of the columns of the source file (from where you are copying data) match the destination file (in which you are pasting the cell data). If not, then change the cell format. Here’s how to do so:

• In the Excel file, click on the affected column heading (whose cells you need to modify).
• Navigate to the Home tab and click the General dropdown menu.

• Click on the desired cell format that matches the values you are trying to paste into the column.

Method 3: Check Copy and Paste Area Size

The “data cannot be pasted” issue can also occur if Excel detects the copy area of the range of cells is not of the same size and shape as that of the paste area. So, make sure the size of the range of cells for the paste area is same as the copied area. To ensure this, you can try the following:

• Use Upper-left Cell

 You can select the upper-left cell instead of the complete range to paste.

• Use Paste Special Option

• You can use the Paste Special option to paste the data. To use this option, go to Home > Paste Special.

• You can choose from the different options, such as paste all, formulas, operations, Transpose, skip blanks, etc. to take control over how the data is pasted.

Method 4: Check and Unmerge Cells

The merged cells in the workbook can create discrepancies when copying and pasting data. These can create mismatch between the source and destination cell areas, resulting in errors. Make sure you are not pasting the data copied from merged cells. You can check and unmerge the cells using the below steps:

• Open the Excel file (in which you are copying data) and go to the Home tab.
• Click Merge & Center > Unmerge Cells.

Method 5: Unselect the Excel DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange) Option

Sometimes, you can get the Excel cannot paste the data error while copying and pasting data from Excel file to external data sources or applications. It usually appears if you have established DDE links between them. To resolve this, you can uncheck the “Ignore other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE)” option. Follow the below steps to do so:

• Open your Excel file.
• Go to File > Options.

In Excel Options, click Advanced and unselect “Ignore other applications that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE). Click OK.

Here are some additional solutions you can try to fix the “Cannot paste the data” error in Excel

Check the Excel File Format

Sometimes, the copy and paste error can occur if you try to move data from an older version of Excel file (XLS) into a newer version file (XLSX) or vice versa. You can try to change or convert the file format to resolve the issue.

Clear Clipboard

Too many items on the clipboard can prevent you from copying and pasting the data. You can empty your clipboard  by deleting all clips. To do this, go to Home and click the Clipboard option.

Change the Column’s Cell Format

You can get the “Cannot paste the data” error when the information you need to paste does not match the cell format in the column. In such a case, you can change the column’s cell format. To do this, navigate to the Home option and then click on the General menu arrow. Then, change the cell format suitable to the type of information you are trying to paste in that column.

Add Columns

The copy-and-paste error in Excel can also occur if there are not enough columns to accept the data that you are trying to paste. You can insert more columns and then try copying and pasting data. To insert additional columns, click on the column heading, click Home, and then select Insert.

Remove Incompatible Add-ins

Sometimes, incompatible or faulty add-ins can also create conflicts with Excel’s clipboard operations, leading to the error. To check if add-ins are causing the issue, open the Excel file in safe mode. In safe mode, if you are able to paste the data, then check and uninstall the incompatible Excel Add-ins.

What to do if Nothing Works?

If the above methods do not work, then corruption in the Excel file could be the cause of the “Cannot paste the data” error. In such a case, you can use Excel’s built-in Open and Repair utility to repair the corrupted file. Here’s how to use this utility to repair the Excel file:

• Open your Excel application.
• Navigate to File and then click Open.
• Click the Browse option to select the affected Excel file.
• The Open dialog box opens up. Click on the corrupted file.
• From the Open dropdown, select the Open and Repair option.
• The Excel will prompt you to choose one of the below options:
• Repair
• Extract
• Cancel
• Select the Repair option to extract maximum data from the file. If the Repair option fails, choose the Extract option to recover the data, excluding formulas and values.

 The Open and Repair utility may not be able to repair your Excel file if it is severely corrupted. In such a situation, the best possible way out is to use a professional Excel repair software to repair the file. You can try Stellar Repair for Excel. It can repair highly damaged or corrupted Excel (.xls, .xlsx, .xltm, .xltx, or .xlsm) file and recover all the objects from the file by maintaining the original formatting. The tool supports 2007 and higher editions of MS Excel. You can download the demo version of the software to preview the repaired objects and verify its functionality.

Conclusion

The “Excel cannot paste the data” error in Excel can occur due to different factors. You can check and clear the clipboard, unmerge the cells, unlock the cells, and use various other methods mentioned above to troubleshoot the error. If you fail to copy and paste the data due to file corruption, then opt for an advanced Excel repair software, like Stellar Repair for Excel. It is a reliable tool that can help you repair highly damaged/corrupted Excel files. It enables you to recover all the objects from the corrupted Excel file, with complete integrity.

How to Repair Corrupt Pivot Table of MS Excel File?

Summary: If you are not able to perform any action on the Pivot Table of MS Excel file, it indicates Excel Pivot Table corruption. In such a case, you must repair the corrupt Pivot Table of MS Excel file by using an Excel repair software or manual troubleshooting steps discussed in this post.

MS Excel is equipped with several brilliant features and functions which make working with large volumes of data easy. In addition to helping users save data into well-organized cells and tables, the application helps users draw inferences from the data. Pivot Table is one such Excel feature that helps users extract the gist from a large number of rowed data. But often, the Pivot table may get corrupted and lead to unexpected errors or data loss.

Corrupt Pivot Tables can stop users from reopening previously saved Excel workbooks, raising the serious issue of data inaccessibility. Resolving such issues is an uphill task unless one gets to the actual root cause of the problem.

However, with Stellar Repair for Excel software, you can repair the corrupt Pivot table of MS Excel file while keeping the Excel file data, formatting, layout, etc. intact.

Excel Pivot Tables & Associated Problems

Pivot Tables in Microsoft Excel are created by applying an operation such as sorting, averaging, or summing to the data in certain tables. The results of the operation are saved as summarized data in other tables. Typically, working on the grouping of saved data, Pivot Tables are used in data processing and are found in data visualization programs, such as spreadsheets or business intelligence software.

Put simply, Pivot Tables in Excel allow you to extract the significance or the gist from a large, detailed data set by allowing you to slice-and-dice data, sort-and-filter data, or arrange it in any way you want.

Frequently Encountered Problems with Pivot Tables in MS Excel

Take a look at the most frequently encountered Pivot Table issues:

• You add new data into a pivot table but it doesn’t show up when you refresh
• Pivot Table contains Blanks instead of Zeros for fields that have no source data
• Automatic field names assigned by the Pivot Table can be inappropriate
• It doesn’t directly show the percentage of total
• Grouping one pivot table affects another
• Your number of formatting gets lost
• Refreshing a pivot table messes up column widths
• Field headings make no sense and add clutter

While some of the above problems seem minute and can easily be resolved using a few tweaks, bigger issues like unexpected Pivot Table error messages that an Excel throws can be troublesome.

Pivot Table Errors & Their Reasons

Excel users who have built new Pivot Tables in Excel often report the following errors when trying to reopen a previously saved workbook:

We found a problem with some content in . Do you want us to try to recover as much as we can? If you trust the source of this workbook, click Yes.

Naturally, users are prompted to click on ‘Yes’. But when they do, they get another error message saying:

Removed Part: /xl/pivotCache/pivotCacheDefinition1.xml part with XML error

(PivotTable cache) Load error. Line 2, column 0

Removed Feature: PivotTable report from /xl/pivotTables/pivotTable1.xml part (PivotTable view)

Such errors are indicative of the fact that the data within the Pivot Table still exists, but the table itself isn’t functioning anymore.

There could be two primary reasons behind such behavior:

• You’ve created the Pivot Table in an older version of Excel but are trying to open-refresh-save it through a newer Excel version
• The Pivot Table itself is corrupted

How to Repair the Pivot Table Quickly?

To solve the errors associated with Pivot Tables, you need to repair them. But Microsoft doesn’t offer any inbuilt technique or option to repair Pivot Tables. Thus, to fix the issue, you either need some sort of workaround or an Excel file repair software .

Methods to Fix Corrupt Pivot Table in MS Excel

Though there aren’t many options to fix the Pivot Table, you can follow these workarounds to try and repair a corrupt Pivot Table of MS Excel. However, before following these steps, create a backup copy of your Excel file.

Method 1: Open MS Excel in Safe Mode

First, try opening the Excel file in safe mode  and then check if you can access the Pivot Table. If you can, save all its contents to a new Pivot Table in the latest version of Excel so that this problem doesn’t arise anymore.

Method 2: Use Pivot Table Options

If, however, above method doesn’t work, follow the below-mentioned steps:

• Right-click on the Pivot Table and click on Pivot Table Options
• On the Display tab, clear the checkbox labeled “Show Properties in ToolTips”
• Save the file (.xls, .xlsx) with the new settings intact

Method 3: Make Changes to Pivot Table

If the above method or steps didn’t work,

• Try opening the Pivot Table Options window by right-clicking on the Pivot Table within your Excel file
• Select Pivot Table Options from the pop-up menu and make appropriate changes to the options given there
• Then check if the issues go away

Method 4: Check and Set Data Source

If the problem in the Pivot table is related to data refresh,

• Go to Analyze > Change Data Source
• Check if the data source is set properly
• Also, try reselecting the data source and check if the refresh option is working properly

If not, resorting to Stellar Repair for Excel software might be your only hope.

Excel Pivot Table Repair by Using Excel Repair Software

When corruption strikes an Excel Pivot Table and no manual trick work, Stellar Repair for Excel  is the best solution. This easy-to-use Excel Repair software repairs even the most severely corrupted Excel (XLS/XLSX) files to restore all data, properties, formatting, and preferences. It enables users to extract their saved data into new blank Excel files.

If you have this utility by your side, you don’t need to think twice about any Excel error.

What customer says about the Excel Repair Software?

Spiceworks

CNET

Conclusion

Excel Pivot Table corruption may occur due to any unexpected errors or reasons. This can lead to inaccurate observation in data analysis and also cause data loss if not fixed quickly. However, you can prevent data loss due to problems caused by Pivot Table corruption by keeping a backup of all your critical Excel files and fix the Pivot Table corruption by using proper tools, such as Excel file repair software, that can help you get over any Excel corruption and errors quickly.

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