Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Making Common Functions Available to Others.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated August 31, 2024)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
If you work in a networked environment, you may have a need to make a common set of custom functions available to all the users on your network. For instance, your company may have some specialized functions that perform some financial calculations in a particular way. You may be wondering how to best supply these functions to users on your network, without allowing them to modify the functions themselves.
Perhaps the best way to handle this situation is to put all your functions into a single worksheet, and then compile the worksheet into an Excel add-in. You can then place the add-in on a shared network directory from which everyone can access the add-in. If you need to change the functions in the future, simply update the add-in and copy it to the shared directory. The next time a user starts Excel, the newly updated add-in is loaded, and the updated functions are automatically available.
Information on how to create add-ins is available in other issues of ExcelTips or on the ExcelTips website. You can also find some information in the Excel help files.
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2346) 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: Making Common Functions Available to Others.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here:
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