excel software training - updating links

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excel software training - Updating Links

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Kate has attended:
Excel Advanced course

Updating Links

Hi,

When I open a workbook that is linked to another workbook, the links do not Update unless the first workbook is open on my screen. How do I make the links update whether the first workbook is open or not?

Thanks,

Kate

RE: Updating Links

Hi Kate

Thanks for your question.

My first suggestion would be to try going to Edit - Links and clicking the Startup Prompt button in the bottom left corner of the Edit Links dialogue box. If the setting is changed to 'Let users choose to display the alert or not'.

Then go to Tools - Options - Edit and tick the 'Ask to update automatic links' check box.

I hope this helps.

Amanda

RE: Updating Links

Thanks Amanda. We have checked this already and have this set up.

Is it possible this happens because we have a Password to Modify set up on the initial spreadsheet, so when it tries to open it it has to be read only?

Thanks,

Kate

RE: Updating Links

Hi Kate

I have checked this myself just now and even if the file is opened as a Read Only copy I still got the Update links dialogue box come up on my screen so I'm a bit stumped now as to what could be causing the problem. Is it the case that more than one person would have this file open at any one time?

thanks
Amanda

RE: Updating Links

Hi Amanda,

Yes it is possible. Around 12 people have access to that spreadsheet so it is likely that more than one would have it open as Read Only already. Do you think that is causing the problem?

Thanks,

Kate

RE: Updating Links

Hi Kate

The only reason I thought of this was that possibly the first person that opens the spreadsheet on any given day might get the Update links message coming up when they open it, and click Update; then anyone else who opens the spreadsheet afterwards would not see the Update links message as someone has already opened the spreadsheet and updated it.

Does that make sense?

Amanda

RE: Updating Links

Hi Amanda, yes that does make sense. However it doesn't really solve the problem as when I say the links haven't udpated, I mean that the actual contents of the cells do not have the updated values in them, unless the original spreadsheet is opened at the same time (the Update Links message doesn't appear at all).

Thanks,

Kate

RE: Updating Links

Hi Kate

I'll have to research this or ask some of my colleagues to see if I can find out why this might be happening.

In the meantime, if you find a solution let me know.

thanks
Amanda


 

Excel tip:

Convert Text to Columns in Excel 2010

If you have a cell in your Excel spreadsheet that contains a lot of text and you want to divide it into separate columns, this can only be done if there is a logical character which separates the text, for example, a comma.

Select the cells you would like to convert. On the Data tab, click Text to Columns. Choose the format of your current data.

Select Delimited if the text contains a logical character otherwise select Fixed Width if there are a certain number of spaces between each field.

Click Next when a preview of the data appears. Then select the type of character that separates the various fields. If the character is not listed, select Other and enter the character.

Click Next again and then choose the format for each of the columns. Select the column heading in the Data preview and then select a data type from the Column data format options.

Click Finish and the text will appear in several columns.

View all Excel hints and tips


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