Sometimes one of these works:

Tools|Options|General|Ignore other applications (uncheck it)

--- or ---

Close Excel and
Windows Start Button|Run
excel /unregserver
then
Windows Start Button|Run
excel /regserver

The /unregserver & /regserver stuff resets the windows registry to excel's
factory defaults.

Paul1961 wrote:

I want to open excel documents from the my documents folder (microsoft xp)
but only pull up the excel template screen. If I open excel documents from
excel launch screen all is fine.

--

Dave Peterson