How to handle Excel's "Protected view" and "Security Risk" warnings

When working on shared drives, or when opening an Autory model downloaded from a network location such as the documentation website, Excel by default opens files in "protected view", which gives the following warning:

After clicking on Enable Editing, the following Security Risk is displayed:

Solutions:

• For shared drives: Add a trusted location.
• For downloaded files:
  • Unblock each file individually, or
  • Add a trusted location to prevent the file from being blocked in the first place.

Adding trusted network locations

1. Open the Start menu and look for Internet Options.

   

2. Go to the Security tab.

3. Click on Trusted Sites, then Sites.
4. Untick Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone.
5. Type the network location in the box labeled Add this website to the zone. You may use:
   • the mapped drive letter (e.g., Z:), which will be converted to a UNC path.
   • the IP address of the server (e.g., 192.168.123.456).
   • the server or website domain name (e.g., autory.autoactuary.com).

6. Click Add, and then Close.

   

Unblocking individual downloaded files

1. Right-click on the file and select Properties.

2. In the General tab, click on Unblock and then Apply.