linking files

[ajohns]

I hope I can explain this.

I have a chum who is wanting to have a central file that links to
daughter files edited by lab workers. The problem he is encountering is
that the cell references are not locked in with $A$1 formats. So when
the daughter files are edited, rows inserted, without the central file
being open.. things go to pot.

Is there an easy / correct way of creating links of complete rows
without doing it on a cell by cell basis?

or is this approach just completely wrong and we should start again
using a different method.

Many thanks for your time

Andrew J
Newport
Fife

 

[Dave Peterson]

I think I'd try a couple of different things:

Can your chum use a different type formula to return values? If there's a key
value common to both worksheets, maybe =vlookup() would be ok.

If that doesn't work, then maybe just combine all the files when ever they need
to be combined--drop the links altogether.

You/he could have a macro that would open the workbooks, copy ranges from the
important sheets, paste to the consolidated workbook and close.