Perhaps I didn't explain it properly!!! - very probably.

ok here's what happens.

when my code finishes running I leave excel open for the user to edit the spreadsheet and save etc.

at the end of my code running is
set wbRoster = nothing 'the workbook
set xlapp = nothing 'the instance of excel

while the workbook is still open, if the user closes excel, no excel.exe in processes in task manager - as expected i agree.

however, if the user closes the workbook only, the instance of excel disappears so it can't be physically closed, and therefore it still appears in the processes in the task manager.

my aim is to have excel closed whether the user closes the workbook OR the application.

Hope this clarifies my problem.

Thanks
Michelle