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TILT Handbook

Common issues & fixes

These are TILT’s canonical, model-specific fixes. They are deliberately not generic Excel advice (generic advice like “set calculation to Manual” can be wrong for TILT models). Source of truth: bot/knowledge-pack/support-and-operations.md.

Setup

Section titled “Setup”

Enable macros (Windows): right-click the file > Properties > General > check “Unblock” > open > “Enable Content.” To let macros manage sheets and the TOC: File > Options > Trust Center > “Trust access to the VBA project object model.”

Enable macros (Mac): open the file > “Enable Macros” > Excel Preferences (Cmd+Comma) > Sharing and Privacy > Security > check “Trust access to the VBA project object model.”

Why Excel blocks the file: standard Excel behavior for any macro-enabled workbook downloaded from email. Unblocking marks it as from a trusted channel.

File naming: letters, numbers, hyphens, underscores, spaces only. Asterisks (*) and question marks (?) break the macros that manage sheets and the TOC. This is the most common cause of “Cannot run macro” popups, especially on Mac.

Performance

Section titled “Performance”

Slow calculation (older models only): Formulas > Calculation Options > “Automatic Except for Data Tables.” Use Excel 365 64-bit desktop (not Online, not 32-bit). Turn off AutoSave. Updated models do not have the data-table slowdown.

Excel freezes on save (older models only): that is data tables recalculating. Press Esc; decline the recalculation prompt. Permanent fix is the calculation-mode change above.

Strikethroughs across cells (older models only): “Format stale values” is on. Formulas > Calculation Options > uncheck “Format stale values.”

Working in the model

Section titled “Working in the model”
  • Paste data safely: Edit > Paste Special > Values only. Never cut and paste (cutting moves cells and breaks every formula referencing them).
  • Hide $0 rows: Inputs sheet > “Show only rows/columns with data on reports” toggle. Reversible. TILT custom command.
  • Resize on protected sheets: right-click the cell > resize option.
  • Move a sheet: right-click a cell in the sheet > “Move this sheet.” TOC updates automatically.
  • Hide/show sheets: Table of Contents sheet > toggle next to the sheet.
  • Print a report packet: Table of Contents > select sheets > print packet option > one paginated PDF.
  • Change workbook font: Table of Contents > “Change workbook font” > pick a pre-vetted font; applies to every sheet.
  • Scratch space: 10 blank unlocked worksheets, survive saves and upgrades.

”Enable Content” banner missing

Section titled “”Enable Content” banner missing”

Usually the file was opened once before being Unblocked. Re-download, Unblock before opening, then open and click “Enable Content.” Walkthrough: the “Downloading & Saving the Model” video at /video-library/.

When these do not fix it

Section titled “When these do not fix it”

Escalate to paid hourly: email justin@tiltanalytics.com with the .xlsx attached, exact cell/sheet references, OS, Excel version, screenshot, and steps already tried.