Microsoft Excel 2010 : Enabling and Examining Macros (part 1) - Macro Security in Excel 2010

In versions of Excel prior to Excel 2007, you could define macro security levels to determine which macros, if any, your workbooks would be allowed to run, but there was no workbook type in which all macros were disallowed. Excel 2010 has several file types you can use to control whether a workbook will allow macros to be run. The following table summarizes the macro-related file types.

When you open a macro-enabled workbook, the Excel program-level security settings might prevent the workbook from running the macro code. When that happens, Excel displays a security warning on the Message Bar.

Clicking the Enable Content button lets the workbook use its macros. Always take the time to verify the workbook’s source and consider whether you expected the workbook to contain macros before you enable the content. If you decide not to enable the macros in a workbook, click the Close button at the right edge of the Message Bar.

You can change your program-level security settings to make them more or less restrictive; to do so, click the File tab, click Options, and then, in the Excel Options dialog box, click the Trust Center category. On the page that appears, click the Trust Center Settings button to display the Trust Center dialog box.

The Excel default macro security level is Disable All Macros With Notification, which means that Excel displays a warning on the Message Bar but allows you to enable the macros manually. Selecting the Disable All Macros Without Notification option does exactly what the label says. If Consolidated Messenger’s company policy is to disallow all macros in all Excel workbooks, its employees would select the Disable All Macros Without Notification option.