Excel link shortuct icon greyed out on Controller menu bar for some users

Symptom
User launches Cognos Controller. User notices that the quick-link/shortcut icon to launch Excel is grayed out, and they cannot use it to launch Microsoft Excel.

Cause
User(s) belong to a security group which has the selection ā€œReports - Controller Linkā€ configured. But its ā€œAccess Rightsā€ are set to ā€œNot Availableā€

Solution
1. Click ā€œMaintain - Rights - Security Groupsā€
2. Select the tab ā€˜Menus’
3. In the ā€˜Code’ section, select the group which the user(s) belong to
4. Locate the entry for ā€˜Reports - Controller Link’
5. Change the setting ā€˜Access Rights’ from ā€˜Not Available’ to ā€˜Normal’.