Excel Metadata (View, Modify and Remove)

In this article, we will learn about Excel metadata. We will learn how to view, modify, or remove all or selected metadata.

We need to view the metadata to know various information regarding a file. Also, we can know information like the author’s name and file modification date. And we can modify the metadata of an Excel file.

Sometimes, we need to remove metadata for privacy or security purposes. We will also explore different options for removing metadata in this article.

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What Is Metadata in Excel?

Metadata can be defined as the data about data. For example, a file contains data about various topics- business data, contact information, etc. And metadata of the Excel file is the data regarding the file itself. This metadata includes the author name, file creation date, modification, etc.

Types of Properties (Metadata) of an Excel File

There are several types of metadata. Here, we will shed light on the key points.

• Standard properties are the metadata that contains basic information like author, title, subject, category, etc.
• Automatically updated properties contain the information that is created automatically. The file size and date of creation or modification of a file are such examples.
• User-defined properties are known as Custom properties. You can modify this information yourself.
• Properties for your organization contain information about your organization.
• You can set the Document Library properties while adding a file to the document library.

How to View Excel Metadata

We can view metadata following two methods.

1. Using Info Option

• Select File.

• Go to Info.

• As a result, we will get metadata.

2. Using Windows Explorer

• Right-click on the file to view details.

• Click on Properties to open details.

• Go to Details, where you’ll get the file metadata.

How to Create Metadata in Excel

• Go to File.

• Select Info.

• Go to Properties >> Advanced Properties.

• Fill up the data fields in the Summary tab and click on OK.

How to Modify Metadata in Excel

1. Edit Default Author Name

• Click on File.

• Select Options.

• Type the author name in the User name field and click on OK.

2. Add Author’s Name

• Go to File >> Info as shown in the previous examples, type the author name as shown in the figure, and press ENTER.

• As a result, the author’s name will be added.

3. Modify Custom Properties

• Go to File >> Info as shown in the previous examples, and click on Properties >> Advanced Properties.

• A Metadata Properties dialog box will pop up.
• Go to Custom, fill in the data fields, and click OK to modify the custom data.

How to Protect Metadata in Excel

1. Protect Metadata Using Info Option

• Go to File >> Info, as shown in the previous examples.

• Click on Protect Workbook >> Mark as Final.

• Finally, click on OK to mark the workbook as final.

2. Protect Metadata Using a Password

• Click on File.

• Select Save As to open the window.

• Select Tools >> General Options.

• Type the password to modify and click on OK.

• Confirm the password to modify and click on OK.

How to Remove Metadata in Excel

1. Remove Metadata from a Single Workbook

• Go to File >> Info like the previous examples and select Check for Issues >> Inspect Document.

• A warning will pop up. Click on Yes.

• Select Document Properties and Personal Information and click on Inspect.

• Select Remove All and click on Close.

2. Remove Metadata from Multiple Workbooks

We can remove the metadata of multiple workbooks together.

• Select all the files and right-click to open the options.

• Click on Properties.

• Select Details and click on Remove Properties and Personal Information.

• Select the options as shown in the following image and click on OK.

Things to Remember

• Consider your privacy while sharing a file, and remove metadata if necessary.
• Check the author list to ensure author authentication.
• Regularly back up files to avoid file or metadata loss.

Conclusion

I’ve discussed the Excel metadata in this article. The topics covered the basics of metadata and the more advanced uses like editing or removing metadata. If you have followed this article thoroughly, you know the basics of metadata and ways to modify or remove metadata. I hope you can use metadata according to your needs with some practice. Please let me know in the comment section if you have any queries. Team Exceldemy will be there to solve your problem. Have a good day!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I edit or customize metadata in Excel?

Yes, Excel allows you to edit or customize metadata.

2. Can I extract metadata from multiple files at once?

It is possible to extract metadata from multiple files at once. You can use VBA to do so.

3. Does metadata impact the performance of my workbook?

Metadata does not impact the performance of a workbook unless the metadata is extremely large.

Excel Metadata: Knowledge Hub

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