In my company I have made macro enabled excel documents (Past 10-15 years). I just recently updated my computers to the new Windows 8.1. When I open the document it asks if I want to " enable macros," which I am used to doing. When I make changes to the document and then I select the "save as"option. Finally when I select to save as on my Excel Workbook (new format), instead of the old Excel 97-2003 (old format), I am prompted with this message/error:

The following features cannot be saved in macro-free workbooks:

-VB projects

To save a file with these features, click No, and then choose a macro-enabled file type in the File Type list.

To continue saving as a macro-free workbook, click Yes.

I do not want to save my files as .xlsm, I would like to continue saving them as .xlsx files like I always have. What do I do? With the new Windows 8.1 can I only save macro enabled docs in the .xlsm format? Clearly I am a little new this newer software because it has been so long since I have needed to update my windows software. Now that I have updated it though I need help with either saving, converting, or I guess updating my excel documents. 

Re:  Saving workbooks

In Excel 2003, workbooks used a 3 digit file extension.
You could save workbooks as Somename.xls for workbooks with or without macros.

Starting with Excel 2007 (and xl2010 / xl2013), you are required to to use 4 digit file extensions.
Workbooks with macros must use Somename.xlsm
Workbooks without macros can use either Somename.xlsx or Somename.xlsm

You  can continue to use the .xls extension (xl2003), but the workbooks will not contain any features or handicaps of the newer XL versions.
No matter what avenue you take, the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack is recommended.
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=3

'---
Jim Cone
Portland, Oregon USA
free & commercial excel programs  (n/a xl2013)
https://jumpshare.com/b/O5FC6LaBQ6U3UPXjOmX2
-or-
http://jmp.sh/K95N3ee

• Edited by James Cone 11 hours 21 minutes ago

Re:  Saving workbooks

In Excel 2003, workbooks used a 3 digit file extension.
You could save workbooks as Somename.xls for workbooks with or without macros.

Starting with Excel 2007 (and xl2010 / xl2013), you are required to to use 4 digit file extensions.
Workbooks with macros must use Somename.xlsm
Workbooks without macros can use either Somename.xlsx or Somename.xlsm

You  can continue to use the .xls extension (xl2003), but the workbooks will not contain any features or handicaps of the newer XL versions.
No matter what avenue you take, the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack is recommended.
  https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=3

'---
Jim Cone
Portland, Oregon USA
free & commercial excel programs  (n/a xl2013)
https://jumpshare.com/b/O5FC6LaBQ6U3UPXjOmX2
-or-
http://jmp.sh/K95N3ee

• Edited by James Cone Wednesday, June 03, 2015 8:09 PM
• Proposed as answer by George.Zhao CHNMicrosoft contingent staff, Moderator 5 hours 37 minutes ago

Hi bheagles20,

I agree with James. In Excel 2007 and above, files with macros have a different file extension.

Files without vba have the xlsx extension.

Files with macros need to be saved as a macro-enabled workbook with the xlsm extension.

For both file types there are also template variations, i.e. xltx and xltm respectively.

The default file format for a new file is xlsx, unless you change this setting in your Excel options.

If you include vba macros in the xlsx file and then try to save it, you will see a message that tells you that you cannot save macros in an xlsx file:

If you opt to ignore the message and save the file as a macro-free workbook, then please accept the fact that the macros will NOT be saved with the workbook.

Please see this similar thread:

https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/f83c9511-b797-4c97-b752-cd556c6ab21e/how-do-i-get-rid-of-this-particular-excel-macro-notification-when-i-save-an-excel-file?forum=exceldev

Hope it's helpful.

Regards,

George Zhao
TechNet Community Support