You may receive such messages if the files contain macros, data connections, ActiveX controls, or even malware – and File Validation / Trust Center is detecting a problem with the file. It could be a malicious file or a damaged file. You may receive even receive such messages when you go on to open an embedded object, perform a mail merge or open a file from a viewer.

Office has detected a problem with this file

Files from the Internet and from other potentially unsafe locations may be malware. These agents may harm your computer. To help protect your computer, Microsoft Office opens files from such potentially unsafe locations in Protected View.

If you continue to receive such messages, you can change the default Trust Center settings to a less-safe macro security setting or even disable Protected View. But this is not recommended. A better option would be to move such files to a Trusted Location. You can add trusted locations, in any Microsoft Office document like Access, Excel, Visio, Word, and PowerPoint If you do this, Office files will not be checked by Trust Center or opened in Protected View. But remember – you have to be very sure that the new location is completely secure. This post will show you how to add, remove, modify Trusted Locations in Office.