Microsoft KB Archive/117314

= "Cannot Open Pivot Table Source..." Converting Crosstab =

Article ID: 117314

Article Last Modified on 8/15/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 95a
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0c
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0a for Macintosh

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This article was previously published under Q117314



SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Excel, when you open a Microsoft Excel version 4.0 worksheet that contains a crosstab table, and you convert the crosstab table to a pivot table, you receive the following error message

Cannot open pivot table source file 'DATABASE.DBF'

and the crosstab table is not converted.



CAUSE
This error message appears when you convert a crosstab table that was created from a database that is not contained in a Microsoft Excel worksheet file format (such as dBASE, Lotus 1-2-3, QuattroPro/DOS) and the file that contains the data is not open. This behavior is by design in Microsoft Excel. You cannot convert a crosstab table to a pivot table unless the file that contains the supporting data is either open, or is in the Microsoft Excel worksheet file format.

Note that you normally receive this error message when you create a pivot table if the path you type in the Range box in the PivotTable Wizard is incorrect, or if the file is not available. However, in this case, you can use the Browse button in the PivotTable Wizard to locate the file and continue creating the pivot table.



WORKAROUND
To avoid receiving this error message when you convert a crosstab table to a pivot table, do any of the following:


 * Open the file that contains the data that you are using in the crosstab table before you choose PivotTable from the Data menu. -or-


 * Create the crosstab table from a database contained in a Microsoft Excel worksheet file.

