Getting Excel 2003 file corrupt errors in Windows 7/Server 2008 (Date fields)

[xtremedawg]

We are using Monarch vs 9.0 (and just updated to 9.01) and are having a strange problem.

Crystal Reports generates 3 Excel 2003 Spreadsheets which Monarch combines into one via a project which runs each night. Schedule tasks run a batch job to do this. Everything works just as we want except that we email these to our salesmen and for those with Windows 7 or through Terminal Services 2008. In those environments we get a corrupt data error and all of the Date fields have been converted to numeric.

I tested the 3 spreadsheets created by Crystal and they work fine so the problem must be in how Monarch exports the data. We have Exporting setup for Excel 97+ (Monarch V9) with the Apply formatting to Excel files (XLS and XLSX) selected. I've changed it to V8 and the date problem does not happen BUT we have drop down boxes that are created and those do not get created when set to V8. For our purpose those are a must.

Does anyone know a fix for this?

[Data Kruncher]

You've already discovered the best possible resolution on the Monarch side by using the Monarch v8 Excel driver. Unfortunately you're correct: that removes the ability to include the auto-filter mechanism in the xls file. I suspect that's what you're referring to as "drop down boxes".

IMO, the best "fix" would be done on the Excel side instead of the Monarch side. You have a few options to that:

• Teach the users to click Data->Filter->Autofilter,
• Customize their Excel toolbar to include an Autofilter button, or teach them to customize it themselves, or
• Develop a system that uses an Excel macro to apply an autofilter to the Monarch export and schedule it to run after the Monarch export.

I know that it's not the "ideal" resolution, but without changing your software environment, I'd do one of those options.

HTH,
Kruncher

[Grant Perkins]

Originally Posted by xtremedawg

We are using Monarch vs 9.0 (and just updated to 9.01) and are having a strange problem.

Crystal Reports generates 3 Excel 2003 Spreadsheets which Monarch combines into one via a project which runs each night. Schedule tasks run a batch job to do this. Everything works just as we want except that we email these to our salesmen and for those with Windows 7 or through Terminal Services 2008. In those environments we get a corrupt data error and all of the Date fields have been converted to numeric.

I tested the 3 spreadsheets created by Crystal and they work fine so the problem must be in how Monarch exports the data. We have Exporting setup for Excel 97+ (Monarch V9) with the Apply formatting to Excel files (XLS and XLSX) selected. I've changed it to V8 and the date problem does not happen BUT we have drop down boxes that are created and those do not get created when set to V8. For our purpose those are a must.

Does anyone know a fix for this?

A very quick search and glancing at the results of a couple of pages that came up sort of suggests the type of problem is not by any means unique to Monarch. Unfortunately the quick glance did not find anything that looked like a solution either ...

As I am not in a position to have the problem I can't easily relate to the details in the discussions from first hand experience so I left it at that point. I am, however, very interested in hearing about the solution when it is found. Meantime I feel no pressure to move to Win 7.

Grant