3065649 - Error: 'The workbook cannot be opened or repaired by Microsoft Excel because it is corrupt.' when opening a file generated by exporting a report containing hyperlink to MS Excel (XLSX) from Crystal Reports

• Unable to open a spreadsheet in MS Excel.
• Error in MS Excel, when opening a report exported to MS Excel (XLSX) format, from Crystal Reports.
• When opening a file in MS Excel, that was generated by exporting a report containing hyperlinks, to MS Excel (XLSX), from Crystal Reports, it generates the error:
  
       "Microsoft Excel
        We found a problem with some content in <file name.xlsx>. Do you want us to try recover as much as we can?
        If you trust the source of this workbook, click Yes”
  
  And when clicking "Yes", it displays the error:
      
       "The workbook cannot be opened or repaired by Microsoft Excel because it is corrupt."
    
      
• Note: Images and data in this SAP Knowledge Base Article is from SAP internal systems, sample data, or demo systems. Any resemblance to real data is purely coincidental.

• SAP Crystal Reports 2020
      
• MS Excel 2013
• MS Excel 2016
• MS Excel 2019 ( Office 365 )  

1. In Crystal Reports 2020, create a report based on any data source.
2. Format at least one field with a hyperlink.
3. Export the report to MS Excel (XLSX) format.
4. In MS Excel, open the generated XLSX file, and it generates an error the file is corrupted.

• At least one field on the report is formatted with a hyperlink that contain the special character: "&", which is not accepted in Microsoft Excel (XLSX) file format.

• Use the function "urlencode" forthe hyperlink, to substitute the special characters to an acceptable url values:
    
1. In Crystal Reports, open the report.
     
2. Right click on the field formatted with a hyperlink, and select "Format Field..."
     
3. In the "Format Editor", select the tab "Hyperlink"
     
4. For the option "Hyperlink information", click on the "X-2" button.
   
     
     
5. Type the function "urlencode", then add parenthesis around the hyperlink url that contains the special character "&", and add ",1" right before the closing parenthesis like:
     
       urlencode("http://sap&crystalreports.com",1)
   
      
        
6. Click on"Save and close"
    
7. Back to the "Format Editor" click "OK" to accept the change.
     
8. Save the report.

 CR, xport , KBA , BI-RA-CR , Crystal Reports designer or Business View Manager , Problem