Link data in multiple Excel files

First of all I'm not a programmer nor do I have much experience with databases. I've been searching the web and here to mostly find out if I can do what I need to. I haven't found answers as I may not be using the correct vocabulary to do my searches.

Here is what I'd like to do.

I have a template for an Excel file that I use each day to record various pieces of data. One of those fields contains a number which represents a certain number of hours. I create a new file each day and it goes into a folder with all the other day's individual Excel files. What I'd like to do is have a field in my template that shows the cumulative hours as they add up from all of the individual Excel daily files.

What I'd like to happen is that I input my hours for today for example and save that file. Tomorrow I open my template, fill it out, put my hours in and below that field, I see the cumulative hours, which in this example, would only have been yesterday's hours. But, as time goes on, that cumulative field grows.

Is this possible? If so, could you steer me in the right direction keeping in mind I'd need some very specific directions as I don't have any experience using external data and may not know what you are talking about if the help is too brief and takes for granted that I know what you are talking about.

Regards...

Hey, thanks for the answer. Yea, I know it's easier in a single file instead of day-to-day separate files. I do know that much about databases but beyond that I'm still learning.

Here's my gig. I'm a sailor. Each time I sail I create a Log of the day and then I attach an image of where we sailed. Those get printed out and put in a binder and then I have a running Log for the boat. I have a nice form too. What I want to do isn't that important and having a Log per file/day 'is' more important. But, I thought that since I'm already noting the engine hours, why not have the database tally that as I go along? I can do it by hand later but if there was a way to have the individual files in a folder automatically update the engine hours field I'd have my cake and eat it too.

If it's just too difficult to do, I'll just forget about it. You never know when you post what answers you'll get. Someone could have just as easily have said, "sure, that's easy, just do this and that and reference the other and you are good to go." Unfortunately, per your answer, it's not going to be that easy.

I like a good challenge and am fascinated by databases recently so trying to figure it out would be fun no matter how difficult. If you have a good direction to send me in to explore doing it or have a few good hints I'd appreciate it. I've attached one of my Logs. Just be aware, it was never set up originally to be used in a database so it probably needs a bit or reconfiguration.

I like your tag line by the way... 'one fret at at time...'

What I'd do is have a folder for each year. It might wind up with 30-50 logs in it depending how much I sail that year. I'd want each yearly folder to tally the engine hours for all the files in that folder so that if I open the last log file in that yearly folder, it will show me the accumulated number of hours for that year.

Now that might cause a problem. What if I open one of the middle log files after having created a bunch of logs after it. What would it now show? I might be creating a mess. It might have to be that the only time I'd get an accurate hour tally is to open the most recent log file only. You'd have to let me know about that.

Then, I'd just do the same thing each year. So if each yearly folder needs to have a couple of files in it to create the linking then I'd just copy those pertinent files manually into the new year's folder where they could sit in anticipation of incoming log files as the year progresses.

I really appreciate your assistance.

No hurry. You are doing be a big favor. Will I be able to reverse engineer what you are doing so I can learn or will I need a compiler or something?

Seriously, take your time. I'm in no hurry. Very nice of you to help me out but don't be afraid to put me to work. I want to learn more about databases.

That works great...really nice of you. Let me dive in and dissect it. If I have trouble I'll post back. I understand the comment about 'databases' and just pulling from a 'field.' I don't think a Chihuahua qualifies as a dog...but it's not my call...LOL...

I'll play with it a bit (will back it up first) and see what I can learn.

Thanks again... it will do what I need.

Best regards-

Hi i have a question.

I doing a report regarding doing some administration work using alot of excel.

Apparently, my lecturer has asked me to link information from a folder full of excel files into one spreadsheet that will automatically update when you update the invoices.

i want to take data like for example, the date, and put it into another spreadsheet.

i tried to use the methods that your guys provided on the above but that only helps if you have only a few folders. however if you have 100 files to link up. its a nightmare!

therefore, is there a way that you can link 100 files all at a time?