Alternative to Excel INDIRECT that works on closed files, and links to workbook based on cell value? - vba

I've seen many questions on this forum about linking Excel files based on cell values and INDIRECT always pops up as an answer, and it does do function and fill my sheet the way that I want, but I need to find a way to work with the source file being closed. My problem when it comes to linking, is that the file path to pull the data from will not be known until part of the file name is entered into a cell.
For example, in 'Print Summary' workbook, Sheet1 Cell A2 is where the file name is entered as a number 12345 (and gets auto-formatted to place 'WIP' in front) which represents WIP12345.xls. WIP12345.xls is a form that holds information that needs to populate certain columns across row 2. WIP12345.xls is an order form and completed days ahead. Once it has been approved, the summary workbook is updated with the WIP#.
I did CONCATENATE WIP12345 and .xls to create the file name WIP12345.xls on Sheet2, and I have a Macro that copies and pastes special as value to turn the result into text. But, I can't find a way to create a formula that will take this value and lookup the file to pull information from. I need to pull and fill information from different cells to 10 columns down 43 rows (each row representing a different WIP#####.xls file).
I'm guessing VBA is the only way to go, but I have no idea how to write it. Anyone have a direction they can point me in? I hope I'm coming across clearly.

The free add-in morefunc.xll contains a function called Indirect.Ext, which works with closed worbooks.

Related

Look for a word of column 1 and then search that word in another column of another excel sheet and use the adjacent information to fill the cell

I am trying to organize the data into one sheet. I am looking for a way through which I will be able to extract the potential failure mode from 2nd sheet to the first sheet. The key point is that the potential failure mode should match with its respective component. So the list of components is mentioned. A way through which Potential failure modes of that respective component is detected in another excel sheet and the information which is available in the adjacent column to be extracted on the first sheet.
Your problem is going to be solved with the function =VLOOKUP
Since you are hiding your column and sheet names, I am making some assumptions (assuming the first pic is called Sheet2 PAF is on column B and PFM is on column C). Try on Sheet1!D3 the following formula
=VLOOKUP(A3,Sheet2!B:C,2)
and it will fill in the FPM if a match of Sheet1!A3 is found in Sheet2!B column. You may want further reference
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/vlookup-function-0bbc8083-26fe-4963-8ab8-93a18ad188a1

Excel: How to compare sheets from 2 different workbooks for differences

I have an original excel file that I have ran a simulation that inputs financial data. I made a copy of this file, and wired the formulas up differently to try and increase calculation performances.
I now have 2 workbooks, the original and the final. I want to compare each sheet from each of the workbooks together to make sure that the financial numbers have remained the same, to make sure the new formulas are not effecting the numbers received.
I have tried to put copies of the two sheets into one workbook, name them April12 and April15. Then insert a third sheet. In cell A1 of the third sheet, I wanted to use the formula
=April12!A1=April15!A1
to get TRUE/FALSE values. But the formulas in these sheets reference many other sheets that are not in this new workbook, so all of my numbers turn up as #REF.
Iv googled many different ways of approaching this but I cant seem to get any of them to work. Does anyone know a simple way I can compare just the values from 2 sheets from 2 different workbooks to find out if the numbers have remained the same or have changed?
Note:I am using excel 2010.
I think you already know how to verify data using formula so is the problem to refer to a row in a different workbook ? if so, following might be helpful :
=[yourFile.xls]SheetName!$Col$Row
this way you can update your formula like(yourFile.xls refers to the complete path including the file name) :
=[file1.xls]April12!A1=[file2.xls]April15!A1

Adding Hyperlinks with VBA

I have two columns in an Excel sheet containing Project names (Column A) and Fields (Column B) and I'm trying to add hyperlink for each row to local files. There's one specific local file for each row.
I don't know how to use Hyperlink function to get the corresponding URLs automatically because there are around 10,000 Project names. I also don't know if it is easier to use VBA.
The URLs are all identical except from "projects":
\nas1\backup\dop4\jobdata\projects\34s\34038 - 10 Wharaora Tce\Structural
The Project name in Column A is something like 34038, 25794 etc. and Filed in Column B is something like Structural, Civil etc.
So my plan is to write a VBA program that adds hyperlinks using URLs constructed from:
\nas1\backup\dop4\jobdata\projects
Because the Project name in column A is 5 digits, I'm thinking of using the LEFT function to get the first two digits to find the files after "Project file".
Folders
Excel file
A data sample will certainly help to understand what you are trying to achieve. Please update your question and then leave a comment to notify people who are watching this thread.
As far as I understand your question, you want to concatenate several cells into a string that can then be used to construct a hyperlink. Consider this screenshot
the formula in cell C2 is
="\nas1\backup\dop4\jobdata\projects\"&LEFT(TEXT(A2,"0"),2)&"s"
Copy down. In D2 you can use the Hyperlink() function to refer to the Address in C2, or wrap a hyperlink function around the formula in C2.

Splitting data between worksheets depending on status of Column A

I have been asked to create a database of volunteers in Excel. The main worksheet (called Data) holds all the information – names, addresses, numbers, reference checks, placements, supervisors, etc. What I am trying to achieve is for the relevant information to be moved from one worksheet to another when the status of the person changes.
There would be 5 categories which the volunteers would fall under (column A labelled ‘Status’)
PROCESSING
ACTIVE
ON HOLD
BARRED
STOPPED/RETIRED
What I want to get is a live database so the information would appear on a relevant worksheet whenever the status on the main spreadsheet changes , but I only want some information to show depending on the category…
Each Worksheet would contain columns A-F from the ‘Data’ worksheet and in addition:
Processing would contain columns X-AE
Active: AF-AW
On Hold: AZ-BC
Barred: AX-AY
Stopped/Retired:- BD-BH
I have searched and searched again but I know nothing about Macros (and my IT department is unable to help) So my question is – is this doable and if so is anyone able to help me?
I hope I am making sense and if not I can email across the dummy database with some made up names to show what it is I am trying to create
You can do this using array formulae. This link shows a simple example which provides the basic formula (explained in detail in the linked article)
=INDEX(range,SMALL(IF(col=value,ROW(range)),ROW(1:1)),COLUMN(A2))
Where range is the range of all your data from your main worksheet and value is the value you want to screen for (this changes for each of your sheets) and col is the column on your main sheet that you want to check the values of. Note it is an array forumla so you have to press control+shift+enter after typing in the formula as explained at the bottom of the link.
You will notice that I have changed the formula to say COLUMN(A2) instead of 2. This is so that you can drag the formula across the columns as well as down the rows. You might need to make this COLUMN(A2)-x where x is an offset because your data don't start in column A.
Note that the same applies for the ROW(1:1) part, if your range doesn't start in row 1 then you will need to offset this by some value as well (i.e. something like ROW(1:1)-y)

VBA to transfer a figure from one sheet to another based on matching values other col

I am working on a spreadsheet which is being used to transfer a product from one location to another. Each day I will have a new list of products that needs sending to another location and I already have a "pre-populated" sheet that has suitable locations listed for where these products can be sent to.
I've already worked out the formula's to use which defines the location these products can be sent to (through index and match formula) but once this has been completed, I'd like to update the "pre-populated" sheet with the quantity I'm sending these locations so that limits can be deducted accordingly.
Essentially, I want to copy the figure from column G in ("Task") into column I in ("interstore transfer") where the two "REF" columns in either sheet match. The "New Limit" column will then automatically populate with the new limit based on the figure input into Column I. Once its finished working its way down the list in the sheet ("Task") then end.
I've had a rough attempt at this, but I'm coming stuck with defining the appropriate variables and how it should update.
Any ideas to better my approach would be appreciated.
A VBA solution with variables may not be your best approach for this. Variables declared within VBA code usually have a limited lifetime based on their scope, so when the code ends the values in the variable will be lost.
Another alternative may be to set aside another cell as a counter. Perhaps a good place for this would be next to the "New Limit" column?
Cell values are retained even when VBA code isn't running. Of course cell values also are saved when the workbook saves, so when you get a new list of products at the beginning of the day you can compare to or edit the previous day's work.
To get started with this, I'd recommend getting familiar with how to reference cells and ranges. And, there is some useful information here on Stack Overflow on how to reference well in Excel VBA.