linking workbooks without opening all of the workbooks

Hi All,

I have one workbook that is going to be my master workbook. I have many other files that i am trying to link all of the data from. What i am trying to do is update the master sheet even when all of the other workbooks are not open. I know excel doesn't do this normally, but is there someway to make it follow the domain it shows in the formula box to the non open file and read the data off of it. Thanks for all of the help.

Hmmm.... I have no problems with linking to other workbooks. Here's an example of what my formulas look like:

=+'W:\fnetsc\grponly\Sales Comp 2012\Incentive Compensation\IC Templates\[excel fine name here.xlsx]WtdPerf'!E$13

when i open the "master file", i normally get the update link box.

I will be posting a new thread with a similiar issue - how to link to a workbook when the name of the workbook I want to link to is the value within a cell.

hope this helps.

Okay i will try. Currently what i was doing, because i am creating a template, i was just getting data from one cell in the other workbook, then closing it and then trying to drag down to get the rest of the data just as a test. I will try to close them both and then get the update link box. I sure wish there was a way to do it like i am trying to do. I don't want to keep all of the files i have open, i just want to reference them in one cell then close the file and be able to drag the formula down to get the rest of the other files data. Thanks for the help.

Take a look at my other thread - "How to create a dynamic link". Maybe this is what you are trying to accomplish. The files you want to link to do not have to be open.