Carol, you're saying that if you close one file, they all close? I'm using
Excel 2000, and with the aforementioned option checked, I can close one file
at a time. If Excel behaved otherwise, it would be a major design flaw.

Are you clicking on the little X in the top right corner to close your
files? If so, take a closer look. Excel, the program, has its own X at far
right end of the title bar, which shuts down the whole program when clicked.
Then, each sheet also has a set of identical buttons for Maximize, Minimize
and Close (the X). It's the second set of buttons you need to be looking at
in order to make something happen with just that file.

If I'm off base with this guess, please describe exactly what you're doing
when you try to close just one file. Which keystrokes or mouse actions?

-Doug

"Carol Crowley" wrote in message
...
I already have that checked. When I have multiple files open they all show
separately in the Task Bar. But it's still close one, close all.

Do you know how to do multiple instances? Or even however it works in
Word?
I have plenty of memory - I'm not worried about that.

"Doug Kanter" wrote:


"Carol Crowley" <Carol wrote in
message
...
How do I configure Excel to open multiple files in multiple instances?
There
has to be an easier way than opening Excel multiple times and THEN
opening
your files.

If you are exploring a folder and you click on a Word doc, then click
on
another Word Doc, they open in separate instances. However, when I
open a
second Excel sheet this same way, they appear as if they are separate
instances in the taskbar, but are truly the same instance.

I know I really need to simply remember to "Close" instead of "Exit",
but
there has to be a way to configure this...

Please help!

Multiple instances would eat up all your memory pretty quickly. What you
really want is multiple separate windows. Do this:

Tools, Options, click the View tab, and check the "Windows in Taskbar"
setting.

The wording of the option doesn't make it very clear as to what it does.