loExcel=Createobject('excel.application') && lcExcel is one reference to Excel in memory loWB=loExcel.Workbooks.Open(lcFile) && loWB is another reference loSheet= loWB.Sheets(lnSheet) && loSheet is a third reference * Typically you have even more references. Now to remove Excel from memory, you must try to remove each reference IN REVERSE ORDER * This means that you can't release a variable as long as another variable depends on it, so to say loSheet=.null. release loSheet loWB=.null. release loWB loExcel=.null. release loExcel && Now Excel is released from memory since also loSheet and loWB are released.>Dear,