Product:
Cognos Controller 10.3
Windows Server 2012 R2
Microsoft Excel Professional Plus 2013 (32 bit version)

Problem:
When starting Excel 2013 from icon in Cognos Controller or when open the data entry form I get a error.

Error message:
Error launching menu item “controller link”
Error Details
… macro cc.CompareDb . Macro is maybe not in this workbook…
… could not find c:\program files(x86)\IBM\IBM Cognos Controller\adxloader.Controller.ExcelLink.dll. Can it have been moved, change name or been removed?…

Solution:
There may be old references to old Cognos Controller versions in the registry for this user.

Start Excel 2013
On file – options – add-ins
Click on GO button for manage Excel Add-ins
if there is a line for
Adxloader.controller.excellink
mark it and you will get a message that say it can not find the add-in, should it be removed from the list?
Click Yes.
Close excel.

Please try again to see if excel is working now.

Fun fact:
To see what AD groups you belong to and other information,
start a Command prompt as admin on the computer
Enter gpresult /v > c:\temp\YOURINFO.TXT

This will list both groups for you and the computer and other information.

In case above does not work for one user, but the other users have less problem with Cognos Controller and Excel. Run above command on the two users computers, and compare the TXT files for them to find out if the user that Cognos Controller is working for have more RIGHTS on his computer than the person who have issues.

Check the section “The user is part of the following security groups” last in the list.