Newbie & linked wordksheets = mass confusion

[lburg801]

The concept sounded simple. Copy the cells from the main worksheet and past it as a link in another. What I thought this meant was that any changes made in the original worksheet would automatically be made in the linked worksheet. Consider the database I am using as basically an extensive address books with all sorts of information - some missing when original entries are made and added later, other existing entries changed, and finally additions to the database (new rows)

The only changes that were quickly obvious in the linked worksheet were rows of #ref! in cells that were linked to rows that had been deleted in the original, and a cursory look showed that changes had not been made or additions added in the linked data ---- so clearly I don't get it. Can you help?

Thanks,
Trudy

[keithl816]

Hi Trudy,

I found that the same problems arose when I did the same thing, Basically what I did was made a Main Sheet that had a command button that brought up a data form for the different sheets that hold data. In that data form you would be able to add info delete info without disturbing the cells that would affect the sheet with all of your formulas. If you would prefer to just bring the form up on the sheet with your data just simply click on cell a1 and go to Data/Form. It will not work if you have any merged cells. If you have mergerd cells you will probably have to do something different.

If you would like to create a command button for bringing the form up let me know and I'll try to guide you through it.

Hope this helps,

Larry

[Anne Troy]

My guess is that you're unnecessarily linking. Why do you need the same
information in multiple workbooks?
************
Anne Troy
www.OfficeArticles.com

"lburg801" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
>
> The concept sounded simple. Copy the cells from the main worksheet and
> past it as a link in another. What I thought this meant was that any
> changes made in the original worksheet would automatically be made in
> the linked worksheet. Consider the database I am using as basically an
> extensive address books with all sorts of information - some missing
> when original entries are made and added later, other existing entries
> changed, and finally additions to the database (new rows)
>
> The only changes that were quickly obvious in the linked worksheet were
> rows of #ref! in cells that were linked to rows that had been deleted in
> the original, and a cursory look showed that changes had not been made
> or additions added in the linked data ---- so clearly I don't get it.
> Can you help?
>
> Thanks,
> Trudy
>
>
> --
> lburg801
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> lburg801's Profile:
> http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=28338
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=480391
>

[paul]

as soon as you delete any cells from the original range you will get the ref
errors in the other sheets because the links are now "suspect"Its best if you
dont actually delete the cells just their contents.Without giving us more
information on what information you are actually linking we cant really help
--
paul
remove nospam for email addy!



"lburg801" wrote:

>
> The concept sounded simple. Copy the cells from the main worksheet and
> past it as a link in another. What I thought this meant was that any
> changes made in the original worksheet would automatically be made in
> the linked worksheet. Consider the database I am using as basically an
> extensive address books with all sorts of information - some missing
> when original entries are made and added later, other existing entries
> changed, and finally additions to the database (new rows)
>
> The only changes that were quickly obvious in the linked worksheet were
> rows of #ref! in cells that were linked to rows that had been deleted in
> the original, and a cursory look showed that changes had not been made
> or additions added in the linked data ---- so clearly I don't get it.
> Can you help?
>
> Thanks,
> Trudy
>
>
> --
> lburg801
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> lburg801's Profile: http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=28338
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=480391
>
>

[lburg801]

Hi Trudy,

I found that the same problems arose when I did the same thing, Basically what I did was made a Main Sheet that had a command button that brought up a data form for the different sheets that hold data. In that data form you would be able to add info delete info without disturbing the cells that would affect the sheet with all of your formulas. If you would prefer to just bring the form up on the sheet with your data just simply click on cell a1 and go to Data/Form. It will not work if you have any merged cells. If you have mergerd cells you will probably have to do something different.

If you would like to create a command button for bringing the form up let me know and I'll try to guide you through it.

Hope this helps,

Larry

I could definitely use more help. I've been reading about data forms. Typical of a newbie, I tried the last of your suggestions, made lots of changes - and then cliked "Close". Nnone of the changes were saved. I think I need to look more clearly at my options before closing a window!

[keithl816]

Hi Trudy,

Before closing the data form, hit the enter key after you enter your data for that row.

Larry

[lburg801]

[QUOTE=paul]as soon as you delete any cells from the original range you will get the ref
errors in the other sheets because the links are now "suspect"Its best if you
dont actually delete the cells just their contents.Without giving us more
information on what information you are actually linking we cant really help
--
paul
remove nospam for email addy


Paul, this is church database to which names of visitors and their addresses are added for a period of time. When they don't continue to attend, the row is deleted. I had wondered if there were an option to archive these rows instead, but did not know if that would make a diference. Thanks, Trudy

[keithl816]

Trudy,

When using data form always hit enter key after completion of data entry for that row. If you choose to delete a row, use the delete button on the data form. It will automatically delete your row without affecting the form with the formulas in it.

Larry

[lburg801]

Anne,
I know I read somewhere this past week, a comment made by someone responding to another post, that creating many worksheets was unnecessary since the reasons most users stated for doing so could be accomplished by writing macros to do each job, with less work and fewer problems. I am so green! I am taking this on in an emergency situation - the church secrectary died - and she is the only one who knew anything about what she did or how she did it. The data that I am working with is basically what one would find in an extensive address book, with a few more columns pertinent to church activities. There is a separate financial database. One of the reasons I tried to create a second worksheet was because there are couples with different last names which creates a problem in printing labels when a couple shares the same surname. The following is one of the suggestions to deal with that problem, but I ran into a lot of trouble trying to copy it to other cells. Rather than being read as a formula, it became the text inside the cells. I do not know how to write a formula AND APPLY IT. It seems there should be a way to apply a fomula to an entire column and have it automatically covert the cell numbers to those of each row. Is there? Thanks, Trudy
> > You could use a 'helper' column to sort by... for example
> > A:First_Name1, B:Last_Name1, C:AND, D:First_Name2, E:Last_Name2,
> > F:SORT
> >
> > F:=if(isblank(B1),E1,B1) and copy it down the column. This will put
> > Last_Name1 in F if it exists and Last_Name2 if it does not.
> > Note: the = sign needs to be at the beggining of the formula
> >
> > I think this is the easiest way that you won't have to rework the
> > whole
> > spreadsheet...again.

My guess is that you're unnecessarily linking. Why do you need the same
information in multiple workbooks?
************
Anne Troy
www.OfficeArticles.com

"lburg801" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
>
> The concept sounded simple. Copy the cells from the main worksheet and
> past it as a link in another. What I thought this meant was that any
> changes made in the original worksheet would automatically be made in
> the linked worksheet. Consider the database I am using as basically an
> extensive address books with all sorts of information - some missing
> when original entries are made and added later, other existing entries
> changed, and finally additions to the database (new rows)
>
> The only changes that were quickly obvious in the linked worksheet were
> rows of #ref! in cells that were linked to rows that had been deleted in
> the original, and a cursory look showed that changes had not been made
> or additions added in the linked data ---- so clearly I don't get it.
> Can you help?
>
> Thanks,
> Trudy
>
>
> --
> lburg801
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> lburg801's Profile:
> http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=28338
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=480391
>

[Anne Troy]

Trudy: Check your private messages at excelforum.com
************
Anne Troy
www.OfficeArticles.com

"lburg801" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
>
> Anne,
> I know I read somewhere this past week, a comment made by someone
> responding to another post, that creating many worksheets was
> unnecessary since the reasons most users stated for doing so could be
> accomplished by writing macros to do each job, with less work and fewer
> problems. I am so green! I am taking this on in an emergency situation -
> the church secrectary died - and she is the only one who knew anything
> about what she did or how she did it. The data that I am working with
> is basically what one would find in an extensive address book, with a
> few more columns pertinent to church activities. There is a separate
> financial database. One of the reasons I tried to create a second
> worksheet was because there are couples with different last names which
> creates a problem in printing labels when a couple shares the same
> surname. The following is one of the suggestions to deal with that
> problem, but I ran into a lot of trouble trying to copy it to other
> cells. Rather than being read as a formula, it became the text inside
> the cells. I do not know how to write a formula AND APPLY IT. It seems
> there should be a way to apply a fomula to an entire column and have it
> automatically covert the cell numbers to those of each row. Is there?
> Thanks, Trudy
>> > You could use a 'helper' column to sort by... for example
>> > A:First_Name1, B:Last_Name1, C:AND, D:First_Name2, E:Last_Name2,
>> > F:SORT
>> >
>> > F:=if(isblank(B1),E1,B1) and copy it down the column. This will
> put
>> > Last_Name1 in F if it exists and Last_Name2 if it does not.
>> > Note: the = sign needs to be at the beggining of the formula
>> >
>> > I think this is the easiest way that you won't have to rework the
>> > whole
>> > spreadsheet...again.
>
> Anne Troy Wrote:
>> My guess is that you're unnecessarily linking. Why do you need the same
>> information in multiple workbooks?
>> ************
>> Anne Troy
>> www.OfficeArticles.com
>>
>> "lburg801" <[email protected]>
>> wrote in
>> message news:[email protected]...
>> >
>> > The concept sounded simple. Copy the cells from the main worksheet
>> and
>> > past it as a link in another. What I thought this meant was that any
>> > changes made in the original worksheet would automatically be made
>> in
>> > the linked worksheet. Consider the database I am using as basically
>> an
>> > extensive address books with all sorts of information - some missing
>> > when original entries are made and added later, other existing
>> entries
>> > changed, and finally additions to the database (new rows)
>> >
>> > The only changes that were quickly obvious in the linked worksheet
>> were
>> > rows of #ref! in cells that were linked to rows that had been deleted
>> in
>> > the original, and a cursory look showed that changes had not been
>> made
>> > or additions added in the linked data ---- so clearly I don't get
>> it.
>> > Can you help?
>> >
>> > Thanks,
>> > Trudy
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > lburg801
>> >
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> > lburg801's Profile:
>> > http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=28338
>> > View this thread:
>> http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=480391
>> >
>
>
> --
> lburg801
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> lburg801's Profile:
> http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=28338
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=480391
>

[keithl816]

Trudy,

Check your PM. I sent you directions for what you requested but it is not showing up on my side as being sent. Only the second reply has. Let me know if you received it.

Larry