Cannot place .xlsx spreasheet

[_e_s]

InDesign 18.2.1

MacOS Ventura 13.2.1

Attempting to place an .xlsx spreadsheet goes no where - freezes about 3/4 of the way through process.
(left for longer than 10 minutes, nothing changed, still stuck at same point).

If I export the .xlsx from Mac Numbers it won't place at all (get the error 'Cannot place this file') (original file was made with Microsoft and supplied to me).

I have 'Create Links When Placing Text and Spreadsheet Files' enabled, as well as 'Show import options'.
I have tried disabling both - same thing happens.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse · Accepted solution]

Try save it as an older version of Excel and see if that helps (.xls).

As far as Numbers is concerned, it writes the XML of the .xlsx format in a slightly different order than what InDesign is expecting. If you need to use Numbers, Try export it as .xls (advanced), which it seems to like.

[dooalot]

Just jumping in here becuase I've had the same issue with excel spreadsheets... the main issue is that the only way I can place them is if they are the older .xls format... but I cannot export to that format from Numbers (doesn't give me the option, just exports to .xlsx.

Here's a question. Why the $#@^%$# can we not place a Numbers file into InDesign? I mean if Numbers is supposed to be Mac's answer to Excel, you'd think it would be made to work with Adobe software on a Mac platform. Clearly I am missing something important.

[BobLevine]

Yes, you're missing the fact that the number of Excel users is exponentially larger than Numbers users. MS Office, for all of its warts, is still the industry standard. If you don't have Excel you are in the vast minority.

Your beef is with Apple Numbers and its substandard file export.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

"but I cannot export to that format from Numbers (doesn't give me the option, just exports to .xlsx."

Yes, actually you can. Select Advanced on the Export as Excel screen.

[rob day]

Hi Brad , I can confirm that an .xls Exported from Numbers works, but it looks like the latest version of Numbers may have dropped the option?

https://community.adobe.com/t5/indesign-discussions/importing-xlsx-into-indesign/m-p/13948970#M53454...

Which version are you running?

[BobLevine · Accepted solution]

Placing fake Excel and Word documents has always been a problem. Open the file in Excel and save it from there. 

[_e_s]

Thanks, but you're missing the part where I said the original file that I had problems with *is* an Excel file, supplied to me. I only opened a copy in Numbers to see if that changed anything.