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Office 365: Excel Differences in Functionality
- Service Category: Email & Collaboration
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Service:Office 365: Excel
Several functions with Excel for the Web perform differently than they do in the Excel desktop app.
Excel – Viewing and Printing
Calculations
Calculations and calculation settings, including automatic, manual, and iterative calculation settings for ranges or worksheets work in a browser window similar to how they do in Excel.
Cells
Cells, including cell values, merged cells, and cell content overview, are displayed in a browser window similar to how they are displayed in Excel.
Charts and Tables, including PivotChart reports and PivotTable reports
In general, charts, tables, PivotChart reports, and PivotTable reports are displayed in a browser window similar to how they are displayed in Excel. Exceptions include
- Charts that are part of a group of charts
- Charts that rely on external references
- Charts that use certain kinds of data sources that are not supported for workbooks viewed in a browser window
If you are using Excel Services or Excel Web App on premises (not in the cloud), the ability to display certain content in a browser window depends on whether Excel Services or Excel Web App is used to display a workbook.
Data Connections
External Data connections are not generally supported, as O365 resides in the Cloud and does not have access to other data sources.
Dates
Dates are displayed in a browser window similar to how they are displayed in Excel.
External references
The last known value for an external reference is displayed in a browser window. External references must be updated using Excel desktop app.
Filters, slicers, and timeline controls
Filters and slicers generally work in a browser window similar to how they work in Excel. In general, timeline controls also work in a browser window similar to how they work in Excel.
Formatting
Cell and cell-range formatting and number formats display in a browser window similar to how they are displayed in Excel.
Functions
Most Excel functions work in a browser window as they do in Excel.
Line Borders
Most, but not all, line borders are displayed in a browser window as they are displayed in Excel. Line colors, continuous- and double-line styles, solid and dashed lines, and lines using thin, medium, and thick line weights are supported.
Named items
Named items, such as ranges, tables, charts, PivotChart reports, PivotTable reports, slicers, and timeline controls are generally displayed in a browser window similar to how they are displayed in Excel.
Sparklines
Sparklines display in a browser window similar to how they are displayed in Excel.
Tables
Excel tables, including data, column headers, and total rows are displayed in a browser window similar to how they are displayed in Excel.
Excel – Opening and Saving
Controls
Controls, such as ActiveX controls and form toolbar controls, prevent a workbook from being viewed in a browser window.
Data Connections
O365 Excel resides in the cloud and cannot access external data resources.
Data Validation
Data validation works the same except that Input Method Editor (IME) mode is not supported in Excel for the web.
Digital signatures
Workbooks that use visible or invisible digital signatures cannot be viewed in a browser window.
Fonts
Fonts are usually displayed using the same style and size in a browser as they are displayed in Excel. If a workbook uses a specific font that is not available on your device, then another font might be substituted when a workbook is displayed in a browser window.
Functions
Some kinds of functions can behave differently in a browser window than they do in Excel. For more information, see the Functions section later in this document.
Legacy Macro languages
Workbooks that contain legacy macro features, such as Microsoft Excel 4.0 Macro Functions and Microsoft 5.0 dialog sheets cannot be displayed in a browser window.
Save
When you or other people edit a workbook in a browser window, changes are saved automatically.
Security and Privacy
Workbooks that have Information Rights Management (IRM) settings applied at the workbook level cannot be viewed in a browser window.
Workbooks that are sent as IRM-protected attachments in Outlook Web App are also supported and can be displayed in a browser window.
IRM cannot be applied in the browser.
Undo and Redo
When a workbook is edited by more than one person at a time, the Undo and Redo commands are not available in a browser window as soon as another user makes a change.
Worksheet protection or workbook protection
Workbooks that are protected (encrypted with password protection) cannot be viewed in a browser window.
Protected worksheets (not entire workbooks) can be viewed in a browser window in Excel for the web.
To remove protection, open the workbook in the Excel on the desktop.
XML
XML maps, XML embedded smart tags, and XML expansion packs prevent a workbook from being viewed in a browser window.
Excel – Functions
CHAR
Excel for the Web: Returns a character specified by a number. For non-printing characters, returns blank values.
Excel desktop: Returns a character specified by a number. For non-printing characters, returns a block character.
HYPERLINK
Excel for the Web: Depending on the Workbook Interactivity and Workbook Navigation settings that are specified for a workbook, the HYPERLINK function can return an active link or an inactive link text string.
Excel desktop: Returns an active link that you can click and follow.
INFO
Excel for the Web: Returns a #VALUE! error.
Excel desktop: Returns the path of the current directory, or folder on the computer.
NOW
Excel for the Web: Returns the date and time on the server.
Excel for desktop: Returns the date and time on your computer.
RAND and RANDBETWEEN
Excel for the Web: Returns a random number each time it is used.
Excel for desktop: Returns a random number each time it is used.
RTD (real-time data)
Excel for the Web: If values that have been returned by an RTD function are stored in a workbook, those values are displayed. If no values are stored in the workbook, a #N/A error is returned.
Excel for desktop: Returns real-time data from a program that supports COM automation.
TODAY
Excel for the Web: Returns the date on the server.
Excel for desktop: Returns the date on your computer.