Why an Excel viewer can show an old formula result

An Excel file may store both a formula and its last calculated result. A viewer without a spreadsheet calculation engine can display only that saved result.

This viewer reads XLSX cell text and cached formula results. It neither recalculates formulas nor runs macros. A workbook saved without recalculation can therefore show old or missing values.

If a value looks suspicious, reopen the original in a spreadsheet application, recalculate and save it. The displayed table is for inspecting content; merged cells, charts and print layouts are not reproduced exactly.