Excel Process Left Running After GoldSim Read/Writes to Spreadsheet File when saved in Microsoft OneDrive

When GoldSim interacts with Excel spreadsheet(s) and these files are saved in a Microsoft OneDrive directory, there is a chance that 1 or more Excel process(es) could stay running when you execute subsequent model runs, causing GoldSim's import/export process to hang. In cases like this, you might see a message like this:

When this happens, the Windows task manager will likely show Excel processes that are not closing:

The reason for this is because OneDrive is trying to sync the Excel files to the OneDrive cloud server and this is interfering with GoldSim's usage of the same files.

To avoid this problem, it is recommended that you do 1 of the following options:

Save the files locally:

1. Close all instances of GoldSim and Excel
2. Open Windows Task Manager and terminate any remaining Excel processes.
3. Save the GoldSim model and any Excel spreadsheet files it uses to a local directory on your computer instead of OneDrive.
4. Run the simulation - you should see the import and export process execute without any problems.
5. When you are done with the runs, you can move the files back to the original OneDrive location.

Change the Excel AutoSave setting for each spreadsheet file:

1. Open the Excel file GoldSim is interacting with.
2. In the top left corner of the Excel application window, toggle the Auto Save to Off.
3. Repeat this process for all other Excel files your GoldSim model is interacting with.
4. You may want to toggle the AutoSave feature back on after the GoldSim runs are complete.

Change the Excel AutoSave setting for all spreadsheet files:

1. Open Excel
2. Click on the File menu and select Options
3. Click on Save
4. Uncheck the box labelled: "AutoSave files stored in the Cloud by default in Excel.
5. Note: this applies to all of Excel.
6. Change this setting back to allow AutoSave when done working with this GoldSim model.

Please let us know in the comments if you have any questions or problems with the steps described above.