Select the product you need help with
- Internet Explorer
- Windows Phone
- More products
Description of the way that Excel saves files
Article ID: 814068 - View products that this article applies to.
When you save an existing file in Excel, Excel creates a temporary file in the destination folder that you specify in the Save As dialog box. The temporary file contains the whole contents of your workbook. If Excel successfully saves the temporary file, the temporary file is renamed with the file name you specify in the Save As dialog box.
This process of saving files makes sure that the original file is not damaged. The original file is useful if the save operation is not successful.
When Excel saves a file, Excel follow these steps:
Important Points About Saving
Additional InformationFor additional information, click the following article numbers to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/214073/ )You receive an error message when you try to save a file in Excel
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/289273/ )Description of the AutoRecover functions in Excel 2002
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/324521/ )XL2002: How to Recover a Lost Worksheet or Lost Version of a Worksheet
Article ID: 814068 - Last Review: September 19, 2011 - Revision: 6.0