Special Characters In Hyperlinks

As you learn in other issues of ExcelTips, Excel allows you to create hyperlinks to other Excel workbooks. If you create a workbook that uses the pound sign (#) in the file name, Excel has no problem with that. It will have a problem, however, if you try to create a hyperlink that references that workbook.

The reason for this is because the pound sign is a valid character for a file name, but it is not a valid character for use in a hyperlink. Since hyperlinks are closely related to URLs, you may think that replacing the pound sign with its hexadecimal equivalent (%23) in the hyperlink might do the trick. For instance, you might use the name My%23File.xls in the hyperlink instead of My#File.xls. This potential solution won't work, however. Excel still complains that it cannot find the file when you click on the hyperlink.

According to Microsoft sources, there are only two potential solutions. The first is to rename the target workbook so it doesn't include the pound sign in the file name. If this is not possible, then the second solution is to create a hyperlink by pasting instead of by using the Insert Hyperlink command. Follow these steps:

1. Open the workbook in which you want the hyperlink.
2. Open the target workbook.
3. In the target workbook, select the cell or range of cells you want selected when the hyperlink is clicked.
4. Press Ctrl+C to copy the cell or range of cells to the Clipboard.
5. Activate the workbook in which you want the hyperlink.
6. Select the cell where you want the hyperlink to appear.
7. Choose Paste As Hyperlink from the Edit menu.

Your hyperlink appears, complete with the pound sign, and it will work.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2004) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Special Characters In Hyperlinks.