I just wanna hide!
June 19, 2006 12:57 PM Subscribe
I have an Excel worksheet populated with data from columns A through IS. I’d like to hide columns but I am getting the following error: “Cannot shift objects off sheet.” Why?
The worksheet has tables of monthly data with summary columns providing the annual total and variances for about 10 years. I’d like to hide the monthly columns and show just the annual total for the first 4 years in my worksheet and am able to do so for the first 2 years (data from columns A-AH). But when I try to hide the data for anything beyond column AG, I get the error message, “Cannot shift objects off sheet.” I can’t even minimize the column width as a work-around—I get the same error message.
I tried closing the file and opening it again. I tried clearing all the data from the cells in the columns that appear empty to me at the end of my worksheet. Same message.
Why does Excel think I want to shift objects off the sheet? I just want to hide columns—the objects would still theoretically be on the sheet, non?
Is there a glaringly easy fix to my problem that I just can’t think of because staring at these columns and numbers for so long has addled my brain? Please help.
The worksheet has tables of monthly data with summary columns providing the annual total and variances for about 10 years. I’d like to hide the monthly columns and show just the annual total for the first 4 years in my worksheet and am able to do so for the first 2 years (data from columns A-AH). But when I try to hide the data for anything beyond column AG, I get the error message, “Cannot shift objects off sheet.” I can’t even minimize the column width as a work-around—I get the same error message.
I tried closing the file and opening it again. I tried clearing all the data from the cells in the columns that appear empty to me at the end of my worksheet. Same message.
Why does Excel think I want to shift objects off the sheet? I just want to hide columns—the objects would still theoretically be on the sheet, non?
Is there a glaringly easy fix to my problem that I just can’t think of because staring at these columns and numbers for so long has addled my brain? Please help.
Response by poster: Oops! The version I'm using is MS Office Excel 2003.
posted by phoenixc at 1:12 PM on June 19, 2006
posted by phoenixc at 1:12 PM on June 19, 2006
Response by poster: Yay! Problem solved. I had a feeling it was a simple fix but I have been too frustrated by this whole exercise to see it. whatzit, you're my hero. :)
posted by phoenixc at 1:30 PM on June 19, 2006
posted by phoenixc at 1:30 PM on June 19, 2006
you could also just group the monthly columns and then hide/show those columns when needed using the simple +/- signs that will appear above the column headings
posted by cleve9 at 3:49 PM on June 19, 2006
posted by cleve9 at 3:49 PM on June 19, 2006
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by whatzit at 1:07 PM on June 19, 2006