Excel Services error - This workbook is larger than the maximum workbook size allowed to be opened in the browser

In scenarios, where you need to develop quite large Excel PowerPivot files and deploy to SharePoint, there is are two interesting steps to be performed.

Step 1: You need to enable the ReporServer to allow doing so by adding a parameter

“maxRequestLength=100000” to the “httpRuntime” in the web.config file for Reporting Services.

This web.config file usually resides in a location similar to “C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSRS10_50.SQLEXPRESS\Reporting Services\ReportServer”. (Your drive letter or the path may differ based upon your install).

Once set, do an IISREST.

When this parameter is not set in the web.config, you might see an error like:

“There was an exception running the extensions specified in the config file. ---> Maximum request length exceeded.”

Step 2: In addition to Step 1, you also need to raise the default file size limit on Excel Services on SharePoint, else you get an error:

Cause: OOB, the maximum workbook upload size allowed in SharePoint 2010 is 10mb.

To get rid of the above error, perform the below steps:

a. Go to Central Administration => Application Management =>Manage service applications.

b. Click Excel Services Application (click the parent, not the child proxy).

c. Click Trusted File Locations.

d. Click the location. This will be an added trusted file location for the site collection or a new file location, usually like “https://”.

e. Scroll to Workbook Properties.

f. In Maximum Workbook Size, increase the file size from 10 to 50.

Click OK. Refresh your report page to see it load without any errors.

Setting up SharePoint 2013 Development Environment - Part 5

This is the Part 5 of the series for setting up a development environment for SP 2013 on a VM. As we know, this is the latest release for the new Microsoft stack of products that involves Windows Server 2012, SQL Server 2012, Visual Studio 2012 and SharePoint Server 2013 (or SP 15).
In this part 5, we will focus on the configuration of the PowerPivot for SharePoint 2013 using the PowerPivot for SharePoint 2013 Configuration tool.

Let’s start the PowerPivot for SharePoint 2013 Configuration tool.

Bummer!!! – We have an Error on the very first step.

Why 14.0.0.0?? Please note that there are 2 versions of this tool as described here.

So we incorrectly ran the PowerPivot for SharePoint Configuration tool. (Note there is no 2013 here).

Let’s try again and run the correct version this time, PowerPivot for SharePoint 2013 Configuration tool.

Nope, still seeing the same error!

Okay, let us try to see the Configuration Tool screen right behind this error message:

Can this be a pointer to an incorrect version of SQL Server? Let’s verify this with the standard MSDN post here.

Here’s the image for a quick reference:

Hmm…. That looks weird. I have “2100.1”, whereas MSDN says “2853.0”.

Okay, got it. I actually forgot to install the SQL SP1 CTP4 feature. Let’s go back and install it now from location: (www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=34700).

Once the install completes, start PowerPivot for SP 2013 Configuration Tool again.

You should be able to see this screen:

Click Ok. Next provide the appropriate Pass-Phrase and the PowerPivot Server for Excel Services Name:

See here if you want to learn more about this screen.

Then Click Validate. If you provided all correct information you’ll see the validation success message, Click OK. (Else follow the details on the error screen to fix the errors)

Click Run; click “Yes”, if you get a warning message:

This should start the process:

Once done, this completes the configuration process and it also completes this 5 Part series that I started almost a couple of weeks back.

Now you may go back to the creation of the SP Site Collection and start exploring the whole new world!!

Setting up SharePoint 2013 Development Environment - Part 4

This is the Part 4 of the series for setting up a development environment for SP 2013 on a VM. As we know, this is the latest release for the new Microsoft stack of products that involves Windows Server 2012, SQL Server 2012, Visual Studio 2012 and SharePoint Server 2013 (or SP 15).
In this part 4, we will focus on Installing SharePoint Server 2013 (popularly known as SP 15).
- Start the SharePoint installation.


After restarting and initial install of the preparation tool:

The server restarts again to complete the pre-requisites install:

Next, start the SP 2013 installation again and click the next link “Install SharePoint Server”.
If you see this error screen, you must restart the server before proceeding.

Once restarted, start the setup again, provide the keys, and accept the License Agreement.
On the “Choose a file location” screen, note the new path that SP 2013 is going to install itself. (I was wondering why I didn’t get to choose from the Install type: “Complete” or “Stand Alone”?).

Click “Install Now”. Once you see the completion screen, let the check-box be selected and click Close.

This should start the Configuration Wizard.
Click Next. Click “Yes” on the Services restart pop-up.


Click Next. Verify the Wizard Summary and click Next. The setup takes a while before you see the completion wizard step. Click Finish. This brings up the next screen, click “Start the wizard”:

Choose the “SPConfigAcct” service account created earlier from the “Use existing managed account” drop down, leave all the services selected as-is and click Next.


IMPORTANT: As discussed earlier, please do not create a Site Collection at this point of time. We need to first get back to the PowerPivot configuration tools and complete the remaining steps.
So, hit “SKIP” now to come to see this screen:

This completes the SharePoint Server 2013 installation.
At this point of time, let’s take another snapshot of the VM.
We will now move to the Part 5 of this series, where we will get back to finishing the configurations of PowerPivot for SharePoint Integration modes, as discussed in Part 3.

Setting up SharePoint 2013 Development Environment - Part 3

This is the Part 3 of the series for setting up a development environment for SP 2013 on a VM. As we know, this is the latest release for the new Microsoft stack of products that involves Windows Server 2012, SQL Server 2012, Visual Studio 2012 and SharePoint Server 2013 (or SP 15).

In this part 3, we will focus on Installing SSAS with Tabular and PowerPivot for SharePoint Integration modes.

So let’s fire up the SQL install once more and continue exactly as we did earlier till you reach the step to choose the Installation Type.

Choose to perform a New Install of SQL Server 2012.

Click Next, Next till you see the Setup Role screen. Select the SQL Server Feature Install.

In the feature Selection screen, choose the Analysis Services feature and click on Next.

Specify a name for your SSAS Tabular instance and click on Next.

Define SQL Server Analysis Services service account and click on Next.

Choose the Tabular Mode option, add click [Add Current User] to add an administrative user account, and click on Next till you hit the install button on the last step of the wizard screen.

You should see a success message after a while:

We are now going to install SSAS for PowerPivot for SharePoint.

Click through the same steps as we did in the previous method for “Tabular” mode till you see the Setup Role screen.

On this screen, select the SQL Server PowerPivot for SharePoint Installation option. Also uncheck the option for “Add SQL Server Relational Engine Services to this installation”, as we already did that earlier with the Tabular mode.

Click Next. The feature selection screen must already have the features selected for you.

Click Next.

Note that the Named Instance has already been set for you “POWERPIVOT”, so let’s name the instance ID, say “POWERPIVOT” to keep things simple.

Specify SQL Server Analysis Services service account and click on Next.

Add the Current User.

Continue with the installation process, and wait until the installation completes successfully.

Okay, now we need to install the following SQL Server 2012 SP1 CTP4:

(www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=34700)

This is required, as this gets you the Configuration Tool needed to configure the PowerPivot for SP 2013 integration mode.

So go ahead, download and Install the CTP4.

IMPORTANT: DO NOT run “PowerPivot for SP 2013 Configuration Tool” at this time. We will come back to this once we are done with the “SP 2013 Setup, Install and Configuration Wizard” process.