Microsoft KB Archive/72512

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&quot;Invalid File Name&quot; Error Saving Spreadsheet Based on Template

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 3.0, 4.0, 4.0a, 5.0

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SUMMARY
Microsoft Excel returns a &quot;File Name is Invalid&quot; error message if you attempt to save a spreadsheet that is based on a template. This error occurs if the name of the template contains eight characters and you attempt to save your spreadsheet using the default filename that comes up in the Save As dialog box.

MORE INFORMATION
When you open a template, Microsoft Excel automatically makes a copy of the template and displays it in the workspace. Microsoft Excel gives this document a temporary name based on the template name and appends a number to the end of that name. For example, if you open a template called &quot;Test&quot; Microsoft Excel creates a document named &quot;Test1.&quot; If the template name has eight characters (for example, &quot;Template&quot;) when you open the template Microsoft Excel creates a new document called &quot;Template1,&quot; which has nine characters.

If you then choose Save or Save As from the File menu, Microsoft Excel displays the Save As dialog box, and provides the default name for the document. In the above example, the filename contains nine characters plus an extension. This is an invalid DOS filename and Microsoft Excel returns the error accordingly when you choose OK.

Workarounds

 * Shorten the name of the template file to seven characters or less.
 * Edit the default filename, or insert your own filename containing eight characters or less.