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Excel Error: Windows cannot find “”…

Someone just reported the Excel error below to me. The error happens when an Excel icon is double-clicked while already having an Excel session open.

"Windows cannot find '<doc location'. Make sure you typed the name correctly, and then try again."

This error had me puzzled for a moment until I found the answer on the Microsoft support site here.

Here's a small excerpt of the Microsoft support site:

When you double-click an Excel workbook in Windows Explorer, a dynamic data exchange (DDE) message is sent to Excel, instructing it to open the workbook that you double-clicked.

If the Ignore other applications setting is selected, Excel ignores DDE messages sent to it by other programs. As a result, the DDE message sent to Excel by Windows Explorer is ignored, and Excel does not open the workbook that you double-clicked.

To solve the problem you'll have to uncheck the setting Ignore other application that use Dynamic Data Exchange (DDE) which can be found here:

Microsoft Excel 2010

1. Click the File tab, and then click Options.
2. Click Advanced, and then click to clear the Ignore other applications check box in the General area.
3. Click OK.

Microsoft Office Excel 2007

1. Click the Microsoft Office Button, and then click Excel Options.
2. Click Advanced, and then click to clear the Ignore other applications check box in the General area.
3. Click OK.

Microsoft Office Excel 2003 or earlier versions of Excel

1. Click Options, on the Tools menu.
2. Click the General tab.
3. Click to clear the Ignore other applications check box, and then click OK.

 This error can also occur when Word or Powerpoint is trying to include a part of an open Excel document.