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Default How do I create a master workbook?

Hello,
A little insight to the situation. We have a template workbook that we use
each time to start each new quote estimation. There are some clients that
order from us often and need specific standards set up just for them. there
are about 20-30 different "standards" that they have.
About once every 3 weeks, the template that we use (which I guess is kind
of a Master workbook already) is updated with new prices for different
materials. For instance, the cost of hot rolled steel might fluctuate in
price along with the cost of labor or something. Once these prices are
updated in the "master", we just do a Save as, find the appropriate folder
for the next estimator (only 3 guys at this poing) and save it as their new
template. The problem comes in with the special 20-30 "standards" for the one
client.
I would like to find out if it is possible to somehow link all of the other
templates to one master work book so that all of the updates can be done in
one fell swoop. This would save us time because then we wouldn't need to
manually go to each and every file, update the 10-12 changes in each file,
then do a save-as for each one. Is this possible or am I asking too much?
Also, with this situation, would anybody suggest moving to Access to contain
the data and just creating estimating invoices?

Please let me know if you need further clarification. I'm sorry that I can't
really generalize this to make it simply data oriented. A lot of times, I see
that too little is known about the situation and when the answers are
provided, there are a lot more questions.

Thank you
Syberpanther
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Default How do I create a master workbook?

hi,
based on your post, i would recomend moving the whole process to access.
Access allows for multiple users so there would be no need for the save as
part. if updating ever 3 weeks, the update would be available to all users
immediately. your template would become an access form which you could
pre-populate with certain data. for example if you put in an item number, you
could pull into the form the describtion, current price and maybe other data.
put in the customer number and have the customer name, address and other data
default into the form. as access report could print the form contents as the
hard copy to the customer.

that's how i would go. Access would be more timely and versital in your
situation with a lot less pointing and clicking.

Regards
FSt1
..

"Syberpanther" wrote:

Hello,
A little insight to the situation. We have a template workbook that we use
each time to start each new quote estimation. There are some clients that
order from us often and need specific standards set up just for them. there
are about 20-30 different "standards" that they have.
About once every 3 weeks, the template that we use (which I guess is kind
of a Master workbook already) is updated with new prices for different
materials. For instance, the cost of hot rolled steel might fluctuate in
price along with the cost of labor or something. Once these prices are
updated in the "master", we just do a Save as, find the appropriate folder
for the next estimator (only 3 guys at this poing) and save it as their new
template. The problem comes in with the special 20-30 "standards" for the one
client.
I would like to find out if it is possible to somehow link all of the other
templates to one master work book so that all of the updates can be done in
one fell swoop. This would save us time because then we wouldn't need to
manually go to each and every file, update the 10-12 changes in each file,
then do a save-as for each one. Is this possible or am I asking too much?
Also, with this situation, would anybody suggest moving to Access to contain
the data and just creating estimating invoices?

Please let me know if you need further clarification. I'm sorry that I can't
really generalize this to make it simply data oriented. A lot of times, I see
that too little is known about the situation and when the answers are
provided, there are a lot more questions.

Thank you
Syberpanther

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Default How do I create a master workbook?

Thank you FSt1. Now, the issue would be creating the access database. See,
the Excel workbook itself has 14 tabs (or worksheets) within it. I guess it's
really just going to be the matter of simplifying the data to it's root so
that I can create the database and then create the proper reports so that we
can get the data to our salesmen so they can read it. I was really hoping
that there would be an easier way of working with excel to get it all
updated. As far as the update goes, it happens within a day for the main
files. The other templates haven't been updated in quite a while it seems.
That's the bosses job and he hasn't really set it as a priority until he
needs to use one of the templates.

Again, Thanks

"FSt1" wrote:

hi,
based on your post, i would recomend moving the whole process to access.
Access allows for multiple users so there would be no need for the save as
part. if updating ever 3 weeks, the update would be available to all users
immediately. your template would become an access form which you could
pre-populate with certain data. for example if you put in an item number, you
could pull into the form the describtion, current price and maybe other data.
put in the customer number and have the customer name, address and other data
default into the form. as access report could print the form contents as the
hard copy to the customer.

that's how i would go. Access would be more timely and versital in your
situation with a lot less pointing and clicking.

Regards
FSt1
.

"Syberpanther" wrote:

Hello,
A little insight to the situation. We have a template workbook that we use
each time to start each new quote estimation. There are some clients that
order from us often and need specific standards set up just for them. there
are about 20-30 different "standards" that they have.
About once every 3 weeks, the template that we use (which I guess is kind
of a Master workbook already) is updated with new prices for different
materials. For instance, the cost of hot rolled steel might fluctuate in
price along with the cost of labor or something. Once these prices are
updated in the "master", we just do a Save as, find the appropriate folder
for the next estimator (only 3 guys at this poing) and save it as their new
template. The problem comes in with the special 20-30 "standards" for the one
client.
I would like to find out if it is possible to somehow link all of the other
templates to one master work book so that all of the updates can be done in
one fell swoop. This would save us time because then we wouldn't need to
manually go to each and every file, update the 10-12 changes in each file,
then do a save-as for each one. Is this possible or am I asking too much?
Also, with this situation, would anybody suggest moving to Access to contain
the data and just creating estimating invoices?

Please let me know if you need further clarification. I'm sorry that I can't
really generalize this to make it simply data oriented. A lot of times, I see
that too little is known about the situation and when the answers are
provided, there are a lot more questions.

Thank you
Syberpanther

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Posts: 37
Default How do I create a master workbook?

If you do choose to go the ACCESS route, EXCEL can be linked to ACCESS tables
and queries. Once ACCESS is updated, it is a simple matter of 'refreshing'
your EXCEL files. Just another option to consider.
--
T Tipsy


"Syberpanther" wrote:

Thank you FSt1. Now, the issue would be creating the access database. See,
the Excel workbook itself has 14 tabs (or worksheets) within it. I guess it's
really just going to be the matter of simplifying the data to it's root so
that I can create the database and then create the proper reports so that we
can get the data to our salesmen so they can read it. I was really hoping
that there would be an easier way of working with excel to get it all
updated. As far as the update goes, it happens within a day for the main
files. The other templates haven't been updated in quite a while it seems.
That's the bosses job and he hasn't really set it as a priority until he
needs to use one of the templates.

Again, Thanks

"FSt1" wrote:

hi,
based on your post, i would recomend moving the whole process to access.
Access allows for multiple users so there would be no need for the save as
part. if updating ever 3 weeks, the update would be available to all users
immediately. your template would become an access form which you could
pre-populate with certain data. for example if you put in an item number, you
could pull into the form the describtion, current price and maybe other data.
put in the customer number and have the customer name, address and other data
default into the form. as access report could print the form contents as the
hard copy to the customer.

that's how i would go. Access would be more timely and versital in your
situation with a lot less pointing and clicking.

Regards
FSt1
.

"Syberpanther" wrote:

Hello,
A little insight to the situation. We have a template workbook that we use
each time to start each new quote estimation. There are some clients that
order from us often and need specific standards set up just for them. there
are about 20-30 different "standards" that they have.
About once every 3 weeks, the template that we use (which I guess is kind
of a Master workbook already) is updated with new prices for different
materials. For instance, the cost of hot rolled steel might fluctuate in
price along with the cost of labor or something. Once these prices are
updated in the "master", we just do a Save as, find the appropriate folder
for the next estimator (only 3 guys at this poing) and save it as their new
template. The problem comes in with the special 20-30 "standards" for the one
client.
I would like to find out if it is possible to somehow link all of the other
templates to one master work book so that all of the updates can be done in
one fell swoop. This would save us time because then we wouldn't need to
manually go to each and every file, update the 10-12 changes in each file,
then do a save-as for each one. Is this possible or am I asking too much?
Also, with this situation, would anybody suggest moving to Access to contain
the data and just creating estimating invoices?

Please let me know if you need further clarification. I'm sorry that I can't
really generalize this to make it simply data oriented. A lot of times, I see
that too little is known about the situation and when the answers are
provided, there are a lot more questions.

Thank you
Syberpanther

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