3006499 - Microsoft Excel cannot access the file 'C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\SAP\SAP GUI\tmp\.sapaox'

When opening Analysis Office from a Portal, BI Platform or the transaction RAAOE an error is raised by Excel.

Microsoft Excel cannot access the file 'C:\Users\<user>\AppData\Local\SAP\SAP GUI\tmp\.sapaox'. There are several possible reasons:

• The file name or path does not exist.
• The file is being used by another program
• The workbook you are trying to save has the same name as a currently open workbook.

Another common message is: "file format and extension of x.sapaox don't match".

Analysis Office

1. Open the transaction RAAOE
2. With or without entering a workbook name into the 'Document' field, select Execute (F8)

The Analysis launcher file with the file extension .sapaox is incorrectly associated with MS Excel instead of the BiOfficeLauncher.exe

A clear sign of the incorrect association is that the icon for the downloaded launcher file is shown as an Excel icon.

Correct the file association by following these steps.

1. Right click on the downloaded .sapaox file -> Open with... ->Choose another app
2. Make sure the "Always use this app to open .sapaox file" option is selected
3. Click on "More Apps"
4. Click on "Look for another app on this PC"
5. Browse for the "BiOfficeLauncher.exe" on your PC which should be available under the default path of "C:\Program Files (x86)\SAP BusinessObjects\Office AddIn\BiOfficeLauncher.exe" or "C:\Program Files\SAP BusinessObjects\Office AddIn\BiOfficeLauncher.exe"
6. Select Open

Launcher file, association, HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\SAP.AO.Xl.Launch\shell\Open\command, .sapaox, RAAOE, extension, file format, "file format and extension of x.sapaox don't match" , KBA , BI-RA-AO-XLA , Excel Addin , Problem