You could try:

Tools|options|General tab|Ignore other applications (check it)

Then double click on the workbook in windows explorer.

And be aware that turning this setting on sometimes gives errors with workbooks
that contain spaces in their path/name:

C:\my documents\excel\my book.xls

The error will look kind of like:
cannot find c:\my ..
then
cannot find documents\excel\my
then
cannot find book.xls


I'd just have a single shortcut that starts another instance, then use
file|open.

I like to use:
windows start button|Run
excel
and hit enter
to start another instance of excel.

Mark wrote:

HELP

I use multiple monitors and often have to work on a number of files at the
same time.

Word allows me to have multiple windows open and I can mimise them (each
one) to the task bar as and when they are not needed.

I need to be able to do the same in EXCEl !!!!!

Does any one have a nice workaround, other than a number of short cuts to
dummy files "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office\EXCEL.EXE" /
c:\dummy\file1.xls. As to date this my only way has been to open a new
instance of EXCEL and then selecting the file I actually want.

I am sure there must be a simple setting, but I just can not find it.

Thanks in advance



--

Dave Peterson