MrExcel Message Board FAQ

Welcome to the MrExcel Message Board.

How to register on MrExcel Message Board

Click on the Register button on the main toolbar and submit after filling the required fields.

I've registered but still can't post

After filling out the registration form, a confirmation email is sent to the address you registered with. You must follow the instructions in the email to activate your account.

Check your spam folders and make sure board@mrexcel.com is on your white/safe list.

Banned email address

You've filled out the registration form, but upon completion, you are informed that your email address has been banned.

Some domains have been used to register at the site and make illicit posts. In an attempt to cut down on such postings, we've blocked those domains. We apologize for the inconvenience to those who only have the best intentions when registering. We suggest you try another domain, such as Yahoo or Gmail.

MrExcel Message Board rules

Follow this link to see the Board Rules.

Guidelines

See here for the Guidelines.

Posting a question

You must first Register before you can post to the board. Once you have fully activated your account and logged in, you choose a forum, such as Excel Questions, and you will see a Post thread button at the top right. You can also create a thread by starting to type your question's title in the text box at the top of the forum pages.

Why should I include my Office version and Platform in my profile?

Different Office versions have different functions & features available and different platforms behave differently. Knowing this means that helpers don't waste their time making suggestions that may not be relevant to you.

Reading a thread

To read a thread, click on its title. You'll see some brief information about each member who has made a post in the thread at the left of the post.

Replying to a thread

To post a reply to an existing thread, scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the post editor box. If the editor does not appear, it could mean that you are not logged in as a member, or that you do not have permission to reply, or that the thread has been closed to new replies.

Alternatively you can click the Reply link at the bottom right of any post to quote that particular post. Post editor will be automatically filled with the quoted post content, and you can continue by typing your message in the editor.

You can also select a section in a post and click on the Reply popup link shows up as soon as you complete selecting. This action will let you quote to the selection in your reply.

Workbook attachments

Workbook files cannot be attached to posts. However, Section B of the Guidelines gives some alternative ways to provide sample data.

No replies to your question

You are not getting any replies to your forum question? Most likely you have not followed the advice given in the Guidelines, particularly section A.5.

Finding your own questions and replies

Click the Forums drop down and select one of the choices under "Find Threads" section.

Question list

This is a busy board so the popular forums do move quickly. However, you should read A.7. of the Guidelines & the link in that to #12 of the Board Rules before becoming too concerned about your question dropping down the list.

Editing or deleting posts

You cannot delete the whole post or thread. Deleting posts can make the other posts and therefore the whole thread meaningless. As soon as you sent five (5) posts in the board, you will be able to edit your own posts for up to 10 minutes after you first make the post.

If there is something in your post that really must be deleted (eg personal information that is not yours, unacceptable language etc) and you are unable to edit it yourself, then use the 'Report' button that appears at the bottom of each post & explain the circumstances. Note that your post will not be edited for trivial reasons like you don't want your boss to see what you have posted.

Staying logged in

To prevent being timed out while you compose a post, check the 'Stay logged in' box when logging in, and ensure you have Cookies enabled in your browser.

Saving as draft

When typing up a new question or replying to an existing thread, what you type in is Auto-Saved in every 60 seconds and can be retrieved for 24 hours.

You can also manually save or delete what you already typed by using the Drafts button on the editor toolbar. You will be informed about the saved draft next time you start a new thread in the same forum or reply in the same thread the draft has been saved.

Recommended add-ins and links

Here is a list of Recommended add-ins and links.

Links in Signatures

Signature links to other sites is allowed as long the posts the links appear in are quality posts. Blatant posting to simply advertise a site is not allowed and such signatures will be removed and the member possibly banned.

If we feel the signature is not in the "spirit" of MrExcel, we may request the signature be changed or removed.

A minimum of 50 posts is required before a custom signature is allowed.

Getting paid or offering payment

You are not allowed to get paid for providing solutions in the forum or offer payment to receive a solution to your forum question. See #5 of the Board Rules. Failure to comply with this rule will result in the post(s) being removed from the board. Repeat offenses may lead to expulsion from the board.

Job advertising

Job advertising is not allowed without permission from a board Admin member.

To hire help, check out Consulting Services for more details.

To post a company job position, contact board Admin by selecting Job Advertising and providing a short job description in the Contact us form. If accepted, you will be allowed a post in the Lounge with a short job description and a link to an external source where interested parties may get more information. The posting on our board may not include any contact information. After we have reviewed your post, it will be made a sticky, staying at the top of the forum for 30 days.