Description: This article provides step-by-step instructions to troubleshoot and potentially fix the "Contacting the Server for Information" Error Message in Excel or other Microsoft 365 Applications such as Microsoft Word on a client's PC.

The First Two Steps You Should Try Is Disconnecting and Re-Connecting The Microsoft Account To Refresh The Application Status And Restarting The Computer.

Step-by-step instructions to sign out and sign back into a Microsoft Account in common applications like Excel, Teams, and Outlook.

To Sign Out:

Open the application (e.g., Excel, Teams, Outlook) on your device.

Look for your profile picture or initials in the top right or left corner of the screen.

Click on your profile picture or initials to open the account menu.

From the menu, select "Sign Out" or a similar option to log out of your Microsoft Account.

Confirm the sign-out action if prompted.

To Sign Back In:

Open the application again.

Look for the "Sign In" or "Log In" option, usually found in the top right or left corner.

Click on the "Sign In" option.

Enter your Microsoft Account email address associated with the application.

Follow the prompts to enter your password and complete the sign-in process.

Remember that the exact steps might vary slightly depending on the version of the application and the platform (Windows, Mac, etc.) you are using.

Step-by-step instructions for restarting a computer or laptop on both Windows and Mac:

For Windows:

Click on the Start button in the bottom left corner of the screen.

Select the "Power" icon, usually represented by a circle with a vertical line inside.

Choose "Restart" from the options provided.

Confirm the restart if prompted.

Your computer will shut down and then automatically restart.

For Mac:

Click on the Apple logo in the top left corner of the screen.

Choose "Restart" from the drop-down menu.

A confirmation dialog will appear; click "Restart" to proceed.

Your Mac will shut down and then automatically restart.

Remember that on both Windows and Mac, you can also use keyboard shortcuts to restart:

For Windows: Press Ctrl + Alt + Delete, then select "Restart" from the options.

For Mac: Press Control + Command + Eject (or Control + Command + Power on Macs without an optical drive), then confirm the restart.

If the issue still persist, Try the following below:

Try this for Windows Computers:

1. Repair Office Installation:

Go to Control Panel > Programs and Features (or Apps & Features).

Right-click on your Office installation and choose "Repair."

Then try to open the Excel file.

If the issues persists, go to Step 2.

2. If the client is seeing this message only for a few documents, the most likely scenario is that the files they are trying to save or open might be pulling in data from other sources that are also stored in a remote location. Whatever issue is causing the delay also applies to these linked sources.

Example: Let's say the client is trying to access a PowerPoint presentation that contains a link to data in an Excel spreadsheet. When they open or save that PowerPoint presentation, it tries to connect to the Excel spreadsheet so it can refresh the data. If that spreadsheet has been moved, deleted, or the data is no longer there, you'll see the message while PowerPoint tries to get the data.

Try this: Check to see if the document contains links that pull in data from other sources. If it does, verify that those linked sources weren't moved or deleted.

Try this for MAC Computers:

1. Repair Office Installation:

Close all Office applications.

Locate the Microsoft Installer app:

Open the Finder and go to Applications.

Find the Microsoft Office folder.

Double-click the Microsoft Installer app.

Follow the on-screen instructions to repair your Office installation.

Restart your Mac.

Try opening the Excel file again.

2. Check for Linked Sources:

If the issue occurs only with specific files, they might be linked to external data sources.

To check for linked sources:

Open the problematic file in Excel.

Click the Data tab.

Select Edit Links.

Review the listed links and ensure they're valid and accessible.

If any links are broken or point to incorrect locations, update or remove them.

3. Address File Permissions:

If the files are on a shared drive or server, ensure you have the necessary permissions to access them.

Additional Tips:

Verify Network Connectivity:

Ensure your Mac is connected to a stable internet or network.

Update Office: Install any pending updates, as they might contain fixes for connectivity issues.

Helpful Resources:

https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/excel-stuck-on-contacting-the-server-for/90d0b953-7f61-4a05-9314-b19da4c312f1