An XLSM file is a macro-enabled spreadsheet created by Microsoft Excel, a widely used spreadsheet program that comes with every edition of the Microsoft Office suite. It contains worksheets of cells arranged by rows and columns as well as embedded macros programmed in the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) language. XLSM files are saved in the Open XML format introduced in Microsoft Office 2007.

XLSM file open in Microsoft Excel 2016 XLSM files are .XLSX files, but with macros enabled. A macro is a useful feature that functions like a script, which allows users to automate repetitive tasks. Excel comes loaded with hundreds of macros but you can also record your own macros, which consist of keystrokes and mouse clicks that execute a specific action, and edit them to make minor changes. Some examples of macro functionality includes formatting data in a selected column of a spreadsheet or applying specific mathematical equations to data. XLSM files may be opened with Excel 2007 or later, or by previous versions of Excel with Open XML component support. For security reasons, Excel does not enable macros by default. Also, Excel will not execute macros in XLSX files, even if they contain macro code. They must first be saved as XLSM files. You may open XLSM files with other spreadsheet applications such as Corel Quattro Pro and MobiSystems OfficeSuite Pro. Google Sheets (available in Google Drive) also supports XLSM files through its Office Compatibility Mode.