Excel 2000 workbooks: inventory external links before archiving

An XLS file may display values from other files without including those sources. Inventory dependencies before retiring old drives or computers. This procedure uses a copy in current Excel for Windows; these are not Excel 2000 menus.

Preserve the originals

Keep the original workbook and available source folders. Open a working copy, initially decline link updates and do not enable unknown macros. Record filename, inspection application version and displayed values of important result cells. Cached values may be outdated and do not prove the source is accessible.

Check several locations

  1. Open Data → Queries and Connections → Workbook Links. Depending on Excel version, the available command may still be called Edit Links. Record each source file and path. Do not select Refresh, Change Source or Break Link.
  2. Use Ctrl+F, Options, Within: Workbook and Look in: Formulas to search for .xl. Record sheet, cell address and full formula for each result. This finds typical XLS/XLSX references but does not prove completeness.
  3. In Formulas → Name Manager, inspect Refers To. Also check chart titles and data series, linked text boxes and objects through the formula bar. Include every sheet, including hidden ones you are authorized to access.
  4. Inventory queries, data connections, required add-ins and macros separately with their owner. An empty workbook-link list does not exclude other dependencies. Microsoft explicitly says there is no single automatic way to find every workbook link.

Create a source register

For each finding, record source file or system, original path, referenced sheet or object, purpose, owner and status: present, missing or unchecked. Preserve needed sources only with appropriate authorization and retain traceable folder relationships. Do not store passwords in the register.

Accept the archive and its function separately

Test the archive package in a separate copy. First inspect without updating; then test only approved trusted sources against known reference values. Explicitly document missing sources. Breaking links is not a repair: affected formulas become their current values. If an immutable numerical snapshot is needed, create a separate clearly labelled derivative; preserve original formulas and sources. Without verified sources, do not call the archive fully functional.

Sources