I have two Excel 2016 worksheets in the same folder. One is shipment form and the other master database for shipment history. This file also holds the list of "active customers", which obviously changes over time.
When user is creating a new shipment from the shipment form template, I want the customer to be selected from a drop-down list rather than filled in manually. While I'm able to set up standard data validation for a cell, the problem is that the list is maintained in a different Excel file (which, as stated, is in the same folder).
I was also able to set up name reference and have the list from the other spreadsheet available, however I still have one major usability obstacle - it only works when the user has opened the other file, I want to avoid that and just have the user work with shipment form template.
I.e. I'm looking for Excel to fetch the data validation list from another file without forcing the user to keep it open. What are my chances here?
Thanks!
You can use Power Query to get the data from the other file, even if it is closed. Power Query can get the list into the current spreadsheet and you can build the data validation on the Power Query result. You can configure the query to be refreshed when the file is opened, or the user can refresh it manually.
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I have a form that a user will input data into, which will then send the added record to the backend of the database (I split the database so that the frontend is accessible to users while the backend is hidden). The frontend also includes a query with no filters, so that it will full portray the backend. This way, users can either input data via the form one record at a time, or add multiple records to the query (and therefore the backend) by copy/pasting from an excel sheet with a specified format (so that the data will be pasted in the same order as the fields of the query).
I want the user to not be able to edit the data/record once it is submitted, but I still want them to be able to view it in the query and/or paste multiple records in the "(New)" record row. Is there a way to make all entered records "read only" per se, but still have the ability to enter new data (i.e. make user unable to edit previous records, but be able to add new records)?
I used this forum as a reference, but the only solution I've come up with was to make the Recordset Type "Snapshot", which does all that I want, except it disables the ability to add a new record.
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/lock-the-entire-record-once-certain-textboxes-have/24f53c0a-2435-48b2-bf91-6713ff8b60ee
I've searched far and wide, but unfortunately haven't come up with anything. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
I have a system where there are about 30 Excel 2016 templates that all pull prices for the items on each template from a single, master Access 2016 file. These are all located on a server that anyone with access may open. The templates are used to request specific items to be sent to a job site, while also tracking its price so it can be charged to that job. The goal of having a single master file with all the pricing is so that every time a price changes (which is fairly often), I don't have to update the price in every single template.
Right now, I have an Auto_Open module in each of these forms that refreshes the data from the Access file every time a copy of the template is opened. This ensures that the prices for the items that the project managers request for their job is updated every time they use the sheet. This usually completes in less than a second, and it updates all the information just fine. Here's the code:
Sub Auto_Open()
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Sheets("Import Sheet").Unprotect Password:="secret"
Sheets("Import Sheet").Visible = True 'for some reason the data doesn't like to refresh unless the sheet is visible
ThisWorkbook.RefreshAll
Application.CalculateUntilAsyncQueriesDone 'ensures every connection refreshes
Sheets("Import Sheet").Visible = False
Sheets("Import Sheet").Unprotect Password:="secret"
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
Recently, Microsoft put out an update to Excel that combines data imports and transformations into a new single section under the Data tab called "Get and Transform Data." Along with this update, new wizards were released to import data under the "Get Data" button in this section. The old "Legacy Wizards" are still available, which is what I was using and what has been working with the above code.
I looked for information on this new tab, but the only usable info was a Microsoft support web page, and it shows the old organization with separated sections, found here. So, I did my own testing, and I found the following differences:
It's possible to change how the data imports in the new wizard, i.e. I can delete rows and columns that I don't want. (This is particularly valuable for what I'm doing since some of the information for each item isn't used to calculate price, such as the supplier or the individual break down for shipping and the actual cost of the item).
I can't have a password on the new wizard, it doesn't let me open the Access file if it is password-protected. If someone has a solution to this one too, that'd be great.
The connection types are different. In the legacy wizards, the connection type is simply "Microsoft Access Database." However, the new wizards show the connection type as an "OLE DB Query."
Finally, the legacy wizard shows the import as a "connection," while the new wizard imports it as a "query."
My worry is that in the next version of Excel, the legacy wizards will no longer be available, so I would like to update to the new wizards. Further, it would also be beneficial to be able to only import specific rows and columns out of the Access file, which I can't do using the legacy wizards.
However, one of these template sheets imports 11 different tables, which ended up taking about 30 seconds to update when I tried opening a new worksheet based off of the template. This is way too long to be efficient or worth the benefits of the new wizard.
In the connection properties of the tables imported with the new wizard, there's a few options that I messed around with. First, I deleted my Auto_Open module and tried to use the "Refresh data when opening the file" option, this ended up taking a minute to update all of the tables, and it forced me to unlock the sheet, which I would strongly prefer to remain locked. Second, I tried the "Enable Fast Data Load" and "Enable background refresh," and I was able to get it down to 17 seconds, but that still is a pretty long time to wait every time you open a file. I would also prefer not to use background refresh, since the time spent on each sheet may not be enough to guarantee every price is updated, especially on some of the files with 10+ imported tables. Anyway, I attempted ever possible combination and I was only able to reduce the time to, on average, 20 seconds.
I guess the big questions of this post are:
How can I speed up the refresh time for the imported tables when I use the new wizards? And if I can't, how can I ensure that I will still have access to the legacy wizards?
Is it possible to lock an Access file while using the new wizards, and how do I do that?
The CAD technician that I work with is also communicating with some of his contacts within Microsoft to see if he can get any information about the future availability of the legacy wizards. If necessary, I can comment a few example files (with fake prices, obviously) so anyone can mess around with them.
Any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you!
If you can use .xlsm files, then you should use ADODB for connecting to the database.
Here is a good tutorial:
http://www.onlinepclearning.com/import-from-access-to-excel/
You can execute SQL statments to modify the database.
However if your database is password protected you will need to include that in the connection string,
and since it is very easy to crack protected vba projects, the password will not be safe at all.
I have an excel file on shared location where multiple users (4 in this case) are accessing the file at the same time.
This file has a “Master data” tab where all the base data is there and then there are 4 identical tabs (one for each user).
Each user tab has a set of filters using which the user will be able to extract relevant data based on the filters selected and can add or edit the rows. Once the user is done editing/adding rows, user will submit the data which will get updated/appended in the master data tab.
Users can select same or different options in the filters. I am facing errors when multiple users click on the submit button (macro) at the same time.
How can I resolve this?
Like some comments say, Excel is not designed for this...
But if you want to use Excel, i would recommend something like this:
Every time someone writes in the master data, you have to "lock" the master data tab. Just put a boolean in a cell, set it to true while you are writing and back to false as soon as you finished altering the master data tab.
Now, if someone wants to change values in the master data tab at the same time, check if the boolean is set to true. If yes, then you have to wait, if not, you can write the data.
Adding to Manuel Allenspach's response, my suggestion is to create a queue.
Queue should have a spot for user processing and other spots for users waiting.
Than, before running code, you should include a check to make sure no two users have their macros updating database at same time.
My Access form has a list box that displays files the user has selected from an OpenFile dialog box. What I do is copy these list box files into a seperate folder on the network and I save this network path in a tblAttachments table. This table has a one-to-many relationship with my main table - tblIdeaDetails.
I created a query that selects records from the tblAttachments table:
SELECT tblAttachments.attachmentPath, tblAttachments.attachmentIdeaID
FROM tblAttachments
WHERE (((tblAttachments.attachmentIdeaID)=[Forms]![frmIdeaSubmission]![ideaID]));
My question is, how can I display the results of this query in that same list box when the user is navigating through the records (frmIdeaSubmission in this case, which is bound to the tblIdeaDetails table)? I've tried doing a requery, but I kept getting an "Out of stack" error.
There isn't a lot of information to go on with your question but let me see if I can help anyhow.
My suggestion is to isolate your problem and work it out before incorporating it into your project. Create a new access database and make a 'demo' of what you are trying to accomplish.
The reason I'm suggesting this is because an 'Out of Stack' error is memory related - could be related to database corruption - a whole myriad of reasons.
Microsoft Support lists a few reasons:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa264523(v=vs.60).aspx
As identified by the support page, it can be dependent upon a number of factors that are going to be present throughout the database.
All things being equal, if you have your listbox recordsource bound to the query you indicated - calling the requery method on the listbox object should do the trick. Changing the record should also force a requery if its bound to a data source.
Can i insert new data/update the existing data into Essbase using Excel add-In/Smart view like I update the data into Palo Multidimentional database?
regards,
Sri.
Yes. This is what Lock & Send is used for. After you have drilled to an intersection that you would to update/load/change data in, you enter it directly in within Excel. Then perform a Lock operation using the add-in or SmartView. This tells Essbase that you would like to update data that is currently being shown on your spreadsheet. Then perform a Send operation. This will upload all of the data on your sheet back to the database, assuming that you have access to change that data (if you are a read-only user or don't have sufficient filter access, for example, then you can't change the data). Note that all of the data in the spreadsheet will be sent up -- so it is useful to navigate to the smallest possible subset of data that you would like to change.
After sending the data, it will automatically be unlocked. Then just retrieve the sheet to verify that the data you uploaded did in fact upload. If you are trying to upload to members that are dynamic calc, for example, then it won't work. Also note that typically data is loaded such that every intersection point is a Level-0 member, if not then it is possible that a subsequent aggregation/calc in the database might erase the data you just uploaded.