Using Windows and Mac versions of MS Office products

I'm running Parallels version 13.0.1 on an iMac, with Windows 10. We use Windows almost exclusively to run QuickBooks and Quicken. I recently purchased an Excel spreadsheet to do food costing for my wife's business, she is a caterer. The spreadsheet has complex macros, etc. and will not open with my Mac version of Excel. I'm trying to open it with my Windows Office 2010 version of Excel. I'm having trouble getting it open. When I do, I would like to create a shortcut on my Mac desktop that will open the spreadsheet in my Windows version of Excel, while in coherence mode. I was able to open the spreadsheet once...by quitting coherence, going into Windows, opening Windows Excel and using the 'Open' function. That doesn't even work anymore. I seems to be confusing the two versions of Excel. Any suggestions? Thanks, Rick Timms

 

Hi @AmeliaT , please check this article and add Windows Excel to Mac Dock and check if that helps.

 

Thanks, Arun. However, that really didn't answer my question. What I WANT to do (not sure if it is possible) is save a shortcut on my iMac desktop, that will open a specific excel file, using the Windows version of Excel. When I try to do it now, it opens my Mac version of Excel. The workbook has complicated macros and will not open in the Mac version of Excel. The only way I could open the file with Windows Excel was to exit coherence, and open the file from the Windows desktop. I was only able to do that once. Now, even from the Windows desktop, it opens my Mac version of Excel and tries to open the file. Right now, I can't even open the file. Thanks.

 

For a little more info...I've tried to go to where the file is located, not the shortcut, and right click, then open with... The Windows version of Excel is not even listed as a possibility, only the Excel version. It's obviously something to do with the virtual machine, but I don't know enough about how they interact with each other. Thanks.

 

I'm having this same issue. Has anyone resolved the Excel issue with Parallels?

 

Hi @AmeliaT , we can have the Windows application in the dock and open it from there. But it is not possible to have a specific file as a shortcut to open it on Windows virtual machine.

 

Running Excel across both Mac and Windows can be tricky, especially with complex macros. One solution is to ensure Windows Excel is set as the default program for opening .xlsm or .xlsx files. You can also try running Windows Excel in administrator mode to avoid permission issues.

By the way, if you're working with food costing spreadsheets, you might find this helpful: Whataburger Menu & Prices -- a great example of structured menu pricing. Hope this helps, and let me know if you need more troubleshooting tips!