Explanation of an excel icon containing a clock

[stumpedbyexcel]

What does it mean when you see an Excel icon (the big X) with a small clock below the X? I'm using Excel 2003. Thanks for your help.

 

[Andrew Poulsom]

Welcome to the Board.

Where are you seeing this icon and under what circumstances?

 

[stumpedbyexcel]

This clock icon shows up in Windows Explorer when I list my Excel files. It's an icon overlay of the normal Excel "X" icon but includes a tiny clock. It seems to be on files that haven't been accessed for awhile. I'm just trying to understand what this clock means. I can still access the Excel files. I couldn't find anything online that explained what the clock overlay means. Maybe someone else has seen this and understands what the purpose of it is for. Thanks for any info that you have on this mystery.

 

[Andrew Poulsom]

What version of Windows do you have? I don't see those icons in Windows XP.

 

[RoryA]

Is it a black clock? If so, it's supposed to mean that the file has been archived to tape (its Offline bit has been set) but this can also happen in error.

 

[stumpedbyexcel]

I'm using Windows XP Professional.

I am still able to access the files immediately so I don't think they are really archived on tape anywhere. but they are old files that I haven't referenced for some time. Not all my files have this so I thought maybe there was some time limit for this special icon to start showing up. I guess I won't worry about it but I was just trying to make sense of it.

Thanks for your efforts to enlighten me.