OFFXP: Macro Virus Warning When You Insert Microsoft Excel Workbook (290709)

SYMPTOMS

When you insert a Microsoft Excel workbook into a document of one of the Office programs listed at the beginning of this article or in a form in Microsoft Access, you receive one of the following messages

Macros in this workbook are disabled because the security level is high, and the macros have not been digitally signed or verified as safe. To run the macros, you can either have them signed or change your security level. Click Help for more information.

-or-

Path\workbook name contains macros.

Macros may contain viruses. It is always safe to disable macros, but if the macros are legitimate, you might lose some functionality.

where path is the path to the workbook, and workbook name is the name of the workbook.

You receive the same message multiple times. You may also receive the message once when you open an Excel workbook that is embedded in the document.

CAUSE

This problem occurs if any of the following conditions is true:

You insert an Excel workbook that contains macros into a document of one of the programs listed at the beginning of this article.

-or-
In the program, you double-click to switch to an embedded workbook that contains macros.

-or-
The macro security level is set to Medium or High in Excel.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use one of the following methods:

Remove all the macros and modules from the workbook before you insert it into a Word document. -or-
Digitally sign the macros in the workbook. -or-
Disable macro virus protection in Excel. To do this, follow these steps:
1. On the Tools menu, point to Macro and then click Security.
2. On the Security Level tab, click Low, and then click OK.
NOTE: If you disable macro virus protection in Excel, you are not warned when you open a workbook that contains macros. This makes it possible for Microsoft Excel workbooks to become infected with macro viruses if you open a workbook that contains a virus. Use this method with caution.

MORE INFORMATION

The Office programs that support the use of Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macros also include macro virus protection. If you select this feature, you receive a warning message whenever you open a file (such as a workbook or a document) that contains macros.

In some cases, you may receive a macro virus warning message twice when you open a file by using any of the following methods:

You open the file in the program that created it.
You insert the file into a document in another program.

This behavior occurs as a result of how the program that you are currently using opens or inserts the file.