Excel default - "Always create backup"

Steph Williams · February 2016

Kind of a strange question perhaps... we just transitioned to Blackbaud hosted servers last Friday. One of the weird little things we've discovered is that any file we export from RE creates a 'backup' file every time we manipulate or save as the file. I dug a big and realized that all Excel files coming out of RE (Export/Mail/Query) are being created/saved with the "Always create backup" checkbox checked.

Help. It's incredibly annoying and there's no way we'll all remember to uncheck that box every time we export a file. Any ideas on how to change that default? It seems to be an RE-specific thing as any new Excel I create outside of RE does not have the same default.

Nicole S · February 2016

I've actually had this problem before too. It was at one particular organization. I had not had it before or since. And even adjusting the settings in Excel did not fix. I don't think others at the org had the same problem. Is it just you or all users? Could be your machine or a server setting or something.

I dug around on the knowledgebase, but there was too much about backing up the server crowding the results for me to find any answers. If anything, maybe contact BB support. I'd love to hear the answer if they have one!

Jen Claudy · February 2016

Are you exporting to your local desktop or to the Hosting file site? We don't use the Hosting file site, I always export directly to my desktop, then move the file from there to wherever I need it on our network. Never experienced the problem you're describing (knock on wood and hope our IT guy is in the building, because our machines know when he's away and start acting up and throwing temper tantrums!), so maybe that has something to do with it?

Steph Williams · February 2016

Jennifer Claudy:

Are you exporting to your local desktop or to the Hosting file site? We don't use the Hosting file site, I always export directly to my desktop, then move the file from there to wherever I need it on our network. Never experienced the problem you're describing (knock on wood and hope our IT guy is in the building, because our machines know when he's away and start acting up and throwing temper tantrums!), so maybe that has something to do with it?

We're exporting to a local network drive, wherever it should end up. The hosting file site looked like too many extra steps, so I had BB add in local drive access for all users.

It's so strange. It's gotta be tied to switching to hosting, since it never happened before this. It's all users, too, not just my computer.

Steph Williams · February 2016

Nicole S:

I've actually had this problem before too. It was at one particular organization. I had not had it before or since. And even adjusting the settings in Excel did not fix. I don't think others at the org had the same problem. Is it just you or all users? Could be your machine or a server setting or something.

I dug around on the knowledgebase, but there was too much about backing up the server crowding the results for me to find any answers. If anything, maybe contact BB support. I'd love to hear the answer if they have one!

I tried searching a few ways too, but the whole "backup" generated way too many results to sort through. I thought I'd check here for an easy answer. I'll try BB chat next!

It's all users, so my gut says it's tied to the switch to hosting rather than individual settings. It also doesn't happen when I create a new Excel file from the program. It's only Excel files from RE and it's all Excel files from RE.

Steph Williams · February 2016

Just spent half an hour on BB chat with no useful results. The rep I talked to is convinced it's an issue tied to our local office (which I don't think is the case, considering how it's occuring) and will "follow up via email".

If anyone else has suggestions, please send them my way!

More info:

CSV files are ok, but that doesn't solve the two files issue

Ditto with exporting as 97-2000. But the problem is we have a lot of documents/spreadsheets that link to files directly (That are saved over every month), so all of those would have to be updated as well.

Nicole Holt · February 2016

We've had this before, and i just started saving everything as a CSV. But, if you go into the file in Excel and click "Save As," click the "Tools" drop down (next to the "Save" button," , General Options---uncheck the "always create a backup" box.

It's a lot of steps, but it works. If anyone know how to keep that b***** off, I'd love to know (and since it only happens with Excel files created through Blackbaud, it has to be their settings...).

Edit--anow that I've read more carefully, I know you already know all this. Nevermind

Regena Weddle · February 2016

I wonder if it is just an Excel issue. That started happening to me when I went to Excel 2013. I have spent a lot of time researching and trying to get it to stop creating the backups globally, but cannot get it to stop. Did not have this problem on previous Excel versions, when I set the Save options to not create the backups but something changed with Excel 2013. Would love to see how to get it to stop - I keep getting two of everything and have to keep deleting the backup.

Unknown · February 2016

Hi Steph-

We are exeriencing this same issue with Excel Exports and have been since we went live with Hosting a year ago. I haven't bothered to research the cause, but it is definitely not local to your Hosted instance.

That's interesting you are able to Export directly to a network drive. We have been unable to get the Critix Client to see any drives beyond our local workstation drive. If I want to Export a document to a network drive, I must first save it somewhere on local disk C and then copy it to a network drive.

Steph Williams · February 2016

Aaron Rothberg:

Hi Steph-

We are exeriencing this same issue with Excel Exports and have been since we went live with Hosting a year ago. I haven't bothered to research the cause, but it is definitely not local to your Hosted instance.

That's interesting you are able to Export directly to a network drive. We have been unable to get the Critix Client to see any drives beyond our local workstation drive. If I want to Export a document to a network drive, I must first save it somewhere on local disk C and then copy it to a network drive.

That's an easy fix! Blackbaud has to open up that access for users (the default is to not allow local access for some reason.) I'm our Primary, so I was able to just chat them and put in the request. It was available within a few hours of the rep opening up the case ticket for it.

Nicole S · February 2016

When I was having this issue I was using Excel 2007 and Microsoft Server 2008, we were not hosted, and I exported to both my desktop and network locations. It only happened with Excel files that I made through RE. I was the only one who really used Export, so it may have happened to others and they never noticed. I didn't really export through Query or anything, so I'm not sure if it was only for files through Export or other areas as well.

Steph Williams · February 2016

Nicole S:

When I was having this issue I was using Excel 2007 and Microsoft Server 2008, we were not hosted, and I exported to both my desktop and network locations. It only happened with Excel files that I made through RE. I was the only one who really used Export, so it may have happened to others and they never noticed. I didn't really export through Query or anything, so I'm not sure if it was only for files through Export or other areas as well.

For us, it's all Excel files being exported from RE - through Query/Export/Mail.

It's sounding like more of an issue with Excel versions? Which I suppose would explain why it started when we switched to hosted - if that server is a different version maybe that's causing the problems? (thinking out loud...)

Steph Williams · February 2016

This is the next step I received. It didn't solve my issue (which doens't surprise me - as the issue doesn't seem to be with our local Excel.) Figured I'd pass it along in case anyone else wants to try:

http://www.pcreview.co.uk/threads/set-always-create-backup-option.3966348/

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Save-a-workbook-or-worksheet-as-a-template-58c6625a-2c0b-4446-9689-ad8baec39e1e

Unknown · February 2016

Steph-

Thank you SO much for your reply. Apparently the ability to save directly to stored network drives was not available until sometime in the last six months and it appears Blackbaud is not advertising this new feature, but I have requested it and was told we would receiving it so I've got my fingers crossed. I also opened up a case for the XLK files. The support person I spoke with said he was not able to reproduce those symptoms so I pointed him to this thread to at least show we are not the only ones. I also mentioned that if I create Excel documents on my local Excel install I will never see an XLK file so apparently this problem is specific to our hosted install. I'll post whatever response I get from support in this thread.

Steph Williams · February 2016

Aaron Rothberg:

Steph-

Thank you SO much for your reply. Apparently the ability to save directly to stored network drives was not available until sometime in the last six months and it appears Blackbaud is not advertising this new feature, but I have requested it and was told we would receiving it so I've got my fingers crossed. I also opened up a case for the XLK files. The support person I spoke with said he was not able to reproduce those symptoms so I pointed him to this thread to at least show we are not the only ones. I also mentioned that if I create Excel documents on my local Excel install I will never see an XLK file so apparently this problem is specific to our hosted install. I'll post whatever response I get from support in this thread.

Glad it worked!

If you're in contact with him again, I also have a case open for support you can refer to - Case 12930418

Excel default - "Always create backup"

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