PP 2010 Can't create measures anymore, syntax problem, when there is not!

[olivierhbh]

Hi everyone,

Very annoying problem this morning on Excel 2010.

I opened a PP file with a few measures, wanted to create a new one and it seems impossible to validate the syntax, except if the measure is "=1".

Worse, all my measures in this workbook now raise the same syntax issue (but still work when playing around with slicers or updating model), for example:

The expression is not valid or appears to be incomplete. Please review and correct the expression.
The syntax for 'AVERAGE' is incorrect. (AVERAGE('AllPrices'[Price])).

Do someone have an idea of why this happens and how to solve it? That'd really be a relief.

Olivier.

 

[Matt Allington]

Have your regional settings changed on your PC?

 

[olivierhbh]

Hi Matt,
I don't think so, the only thing that happened is that I updated to Office 2016 then rollbacked to 2010. I checked with an other file and it seems that I have the same problem, so I feel that something more "global" might have happened.
Do you know how the regional settings should be set?

 

[olivierhbh]

I just checked on a colleague's computer for whom it's still working and our regional settings are the same.
I also checked on someone else's computer who had a rollback too, and we have the same problem...

 

[Matt Allington]

Well there is no right or wrong regional settings. All I know is some regions use ; as a separator, and other regions use , as a separator. I wondered if that was the problem.

 

[olivierhbh]

Yeah stupid question. But anyway the separator is the same as other computers where it works.
And some very simple measures which don't even include a separator don't work.. ex: =SUM(TradeFlow[Value])

Any other idea..?

 

[Matt Allington]

Yep. Sometimes the plugin will crash, but stay active (opposed to when it crashes and becomes inactive). Go into com Addins and deselect the plugin, then click OK. Close excel. Restart excel and then turn the plugin back on. Test if it is fixed. If it doesn't fix the problem, do it again, but reboot your PC between turning off the plugin and turning it back on.

this process fixes 99.5% of weird behaviour I have seen. And I have seen a lot!

 

[olivierhbh]

I had tried disabling and reenabling PP days ago but it didn't work, however earlier today I repaired office, uninstalled PP and reinstalled it and the problem was gone!
Thanks for your support!
Olivier.