Confusing spreadsheet

[Dan Wood]

I have been tasked with trying to simplify a few spreadsheets that i use.
They are to track certain tasks that run, and then certain fields with the
output created.

I don't have much time to get it in place so i have found a few quick things
that may make life easier, but wanted some help in the code needed/best way
to make these changes.

1) Is there away to get multiple spreadsheets to update one main sheet?
There will be 5 seperate sheets for the different 'types' of runs, and then
one main sheet keeping track of run numbers, which will have 5 tabs for the
different runs. Is there a code which can cross refernce the type of run and
the tab name which should corrospond, and then fill in certain fields?

2) The five seperate sheets will have numerous tabs aswell so can this be
linked into the main sheet to fill in job numbers, as new tabs get created as
the runs happen, therefore there is no definate about the amount of runs
needed.

 

[broro183]

hi Dan,

Sorry, this is not a direct answer to your question because I'
confused by how many different "workbooks" you have and how man
"worksheets" are in each "workbook".

Here is a link to a pdf with some spreadsheet design principles tha
have influenced my spreadsheet development
http://www.eusprig.org/smbp.pdf
from 'Recommended Spreadsheet (Excel) web sites, tools, groups, bes
practice, financial modelling, modeling
(http://www.sysmod.com/sslinks.htm)

With my limited understanding of your layout, I would sugges
consolidating all the information onto a single worksheet and adding an
necessary extra columns to differentiate between the types of runs. Th
advantages of a single "(flat) database style" worksheet are that yo
can use a lot of Excel's inbuilt functionality, eg. autofiltering
advanced filtering, sorting, outlines/sub-totals, pivot tables and "al
your data is in one place". When all your data is in one place you ca
create flexible "Reporting/Output" worksheets which summarise the inf
on the Input worksheet for printing.

hth
Rob