[Solved] Could not resolve this reference. Could not locate the assembly "Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel, Version=14.0.0.0

[Solved] Could not resolve this reference. Could not locate the assembly "Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel, Version=14.0.0.0

Introduction

You may experience this error if you try to compile a visual studio solution/project where it is referring to Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel from GAC. This could also happen in a build server where you don’t have or want any tools which are licensed because you don’t want to pay for it as you spawn servers at runtime. You may feel like you hit the dead end where you are forced to install Microsoft office tools. But we have another alternative which is completely legal and ethical.

How did I fix this?

This is the nuget package. We have this Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel dll available as a nuget package. This is called Excel-DNA.Interop. This Microsoft.Office.Interop.Excel dll which comes in this nuget package has no dependency and is pretty straightforward to use. Use it just like any other nugget package!