In the modern versions of Excel (with the exception of Excel 97), the program, by default, shows a task button on the Taskbar for each workbook you have open at the current time. If you prefer the older way of handling workbooks—one task button for Excel and then using the Window menu to switch between workbooks—you can follow these steps:

Figure 1. The View tab of the Options dialog box.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2740) applies to Microsoft Excel 2000, 2002, and 2003.
Professional Development Guidance! Four world-class developers offer start-to-finish guidance for building powerful, robust, and secure applications with Excel. The authors show how to consistently make the right design decisions and make the most of Excel's powerful features. Check out Professional Excel Development today!
Excel used to provide, prior to Excel 2002, an equal-sign tool near the Formula bar. If you miss this tool, you may want ...
Discover MoreThere are lots of error messages that can pop up in Excel from time to time. One of the most confusing may be the ...
Discover MoreWant to move around in dialog boxes using just the keyboard? You'll love the ideas in this tip, then.
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments