We have a large multi-sheet shared file that always opens to the second sheet
with the entire sheet highlighted. Have to constantly switch back to the
first sheet. How do I stop Excel from defaulting to a specific sheet? Or
better yet, how do I set which sheet opens first and where it starts?

Excel remembers the selection (and sheet) where it was last saved.

So you could select the sheet/range that you want before you save the workbook.

Or you could have a macro run when excel opens the file and do it for you:

This would go in a General module:

Option Explicit
Sub Auto_Open()
application.goto thisworkbook.worksheets("SheetnameHere").range("A1 "), _
scroll:=true
End Sub

(Change the sheet name to match--and the address, too.)

If you're new to macros:

Debra Dalgleish has some notes how to implement macros he
http://www.contextures.com/xlvba01.html

David McRitchie has an intro to macros:
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm

Ron de Bruin's intro to macros:
http://www.rondebruin.nl/code.htm

Frustrated in NJ wrote:

We have a large multi-sheet shared file that always opens to the second sheet
with the entire sheet highlighted. Have to constantly switch back to the
first sheet. How do I stop Excel from defaulting to a specific sheet? Or
better yet, how do I set which sheet opens first and where it starts?

--

Dave Peterson