Automate update from 3 files to 1.

Hi,

There are 3 workbooks that are updated by individual users on a regular basis. I want to create 1 workbook (call this "Master Workbook"), which will automatically get all the data & formats from the 3 workbooks when I open it.

I have spent some time looking into referencing external workbook and trialing it out. The problem I have is that if the individual add a new row or change the colour of a cell, delete a row, etc., when I open the Master file, it'll only update the data and not the formats that have changed.

I have also tried Macros, and merging... Still have no avail to the problem.
Could someone tell me if what I want to do is possible in Excel?

Thanks.

Originally Posted by saugui

Could someone tell me if what I want to do is possible in Excel?

Thanks.

Almost anything is possible, but many things are not easy. What you describe is not easy. The most common way to consolidate data into a master sheet is to prevent the users changing their version of the sheet. That way you can be sure that the data format hasn't changed.

Matt

Thanks.

But it'll defeat the purpose as the sheet contains colour coded cells that are updated by different Managers.

I gather from the lack of responses to this issue that there's a limitation to linking/reference cells from other workbook.

If that's the case, is it possible on opening of the Master file to build by extracting each row from the other 3 files? I gather that I would have to do some VB scripting? Correct?

Can someone help?
Thank You.