Excel 2016 - One instance

Excel 2016 opens each workbook in a separate instance, its own unique memory(allocated RAM) space.  I have found a workaround that allows these multiple workbooks in separate memory spaces to share resources, specifically a "Personal Tools.xlsm or .xlsb" in which you have built custom macros specific to the way you work. 

With prior versions of Excel you could stipulate a specific file, i.e. Personal Tools.xlsm, to open every time you launched Excel.  You can do the same in the current version; however, if you open a group of linked workbooks simultaneously for a specific project - each time one of the workbooks launch Excel will attempt to open the workbook you told Excel to open each time it launches.  The Personal Tools.xlsm will successfully open along with the first workbook; however, you will receive a notice that the file is already open with the launch of each of the other workbooks in the related group you are opening ... extremely annoying.  You can get around this by first launching the Personal Tools.xlsm file then from within Excel open the group of related files you require for your project.  Each file will be opened in its own instance; however, they will all be able to access the tools you built in your "Personal Tools" workbook.

I have notice there is still some quirkiness to the formulas and functionality within the "linked" workbooks.  Some of the linked formulas will retain the file path to the workbook they are linked to and some will not, as in Excel recognizes that the linked workbook has been opened.  It is a hit and miss proposition as to whether or not updated information in the linked workbook will flow through to the workbook containing the link.

Microsoft did us no favors by eliminating the feature of being able to open multiple Excel workbooks within a single instance.

Hi everybody.

I have been working for so long time with Excel 5 and after Excel XP, now really I don't understand the meaning of this.

IMO this is not an improvement, I have a 23' screen and I feel like it was a 17' because of double ribbons of keys and big fonts on the names of sheets in the lower part of the the window.....

Hello,

Thank you for posting on Microsoft Community.

Excel 2016 when opened opens only one instance. However, let us know if you are talking about the ability in Excel 2016 to open multiple spreadsheets in the same Excel 2016 window? If yes, then this feature is not available in Excel 2016 and was discontinued since Excel 2013.

I suggest you to take a moment and send us your views and feedback about Excel 2016.

Submit your feedback using the following link:

https://excel.uservoice.com/

Thank you for sharing your issue and requirement with us. We listen to all feedback and consider them for additional feature/future versions of our products. Your feedback helps us know which features are most important to you. We appreciate your continued interest in Microsoft products and services. Microsoft is committed to continuously improving your experience with our products.

Thank you.

Please,

Can you simply just bring back this so so useful feature of Excel?

Looking forward to seeing it,

Regards

Although Microsoft insists on separate windows for opening workbooke there is a workarround so that workbooks are opened in the same memoryspace; therefore, they can share things like macros and scripts.  Once you open excel and your default spreadsheet kicks off create a new workbook or open your desired workbook from Excel's File Open command.  Don't try to open multiple workbooks from Windows Explorer and expect them to work together as if they are in the same memoryspace; however, you can open multiple workbooks from an open Excel workbook.

I hope this helps some.  I too miss the single window with multiple workbooks.  I used to make use of the Excel workspace feature to open many related workbooks from different directories.