master template

D

Derek

Hi, I believe there is a way to do this but it's been quite a while since
I've had to do anything like it.

Is there a way to create one template datasheet as a 'master' sheet and then
have several copies of the master. Whatever changes occur in the master
will flow into the copies?

Thanks
Derek
 
R

RagDyeR

It really depends on *exactly* what your meaning of "copies" is.

If you're talking about opening a 'copy' of the template, adding data and/or
calculating, then *saving* under a different name in a pertinent (read other
then template folder), AFAIK, the answer is no.

Once a template is 'used' and renamed, it becomes just another .xls file.
No global revisions are possible.

I guess you could create a file, where *every* cell or range is linked to
another file, but that necessitates keeping the master *and* all 'copies' on
the same system, so that changes to the master are perceived by the copies
and updated whenever they're opened.
Sort of a database in reverse.
That may be an option, but I don't know how viable.

On the other hand, if you mean *blank, unused* 'copies' of a template, I
don't know why you would even have a need for such files, since the opening
of a "fresh", new copy of the original template is as many clicks as opening
this "other" copy.

When properly created, the original template is *never* opened ... just
*copies* are opened, protecting the original from accidental revisions.
And therefore, each copy is a duplicate of the original.
Update the original ... and the copies are opened as duplicates of the
updated original,
*BUT*
*NOT* the ones you opened and used yesterday !

Would you care to elaborate on your question?
--

Regards,

RD
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Please keep all correspondence within the Group, so all may benefit !
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Hi, I believe there is a way to do this but it's been quite a while since
I've had to do anything like it.

Is there a way to create one template datasheet as a 'master' sheet and then
have several copies of the master. Whatever changes occur in the master
will flow into the copies?

Thanks
Derek
 
D

Derek

Actually the copies of the template worksheet would be in the same file.

Let's say the spreadsheets in the file would be MASTER, Sheet1, Sheet2,
Sheet3.

Sheets 1 through 3 are actually just copies of the MASTER with some of their
own information in them. But if I need to put a formula in one spot in all
of the copies, I would be able to put it into the MASTER worksheet and it
will go into all the others.

Thanks
Derek
 
R

RagDyer

You'll have a problem if you're talking about formulas.

Say you linked a cell on Sheet1 to a blank cell in the 'Master'.
You now enter a formula in the 'Master' blank cell:
=SUM(A1:A10)

That formula references A1:A10 *ON THE MASTER*,
not on Sheet1.

Text strings might be viable, *not* formulas.
 
R

RagDyer

Actually, you could update and redirect the links to the newly opened Sheet1
template, but that could only be done after you renamed and saved it to your
working folder.
This would be just as much, if not more trouble then just copying the
formula itself from the 'Master' to Sheet1.

You might try posting to the programming group, where some code might be
able to do all this for you.
 
D

Derek

Thanks for all the help, I ended up finding a quick shortcut to do it. I
didn't realize that when you group several worksheets together you can edit
them all at the same time so that should be good enough I think to edit all
the forms.

Thanks!
Derek
 
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