Hi Nelly,

well... if they are within the same workbook or at least
within a few workbooks, the solution would be very simple.
but if they are all in another workbook which have
completely different names, this would be a little fuzzy...

However, I would use it that way:


Is there a way to tell the spreadsheet to look at the xls
files and extract
the info required (the recipe name is always in the the
same cell ref),
without openeing the files?

Not without opening, but with screen.updating off it would
work (as you write below)

i = 1
For Each cell In Range("targetrange")

cell.Value = Workbooks("sourcebook.xls").Sheets(i).Range
("sourcecell").Value
i = i + 1

Next cell

targetrange is the range where you want to write the
recipe names.
sourcecell is the cell within all the sheets where the
name is in.

If you have more than one workbook, you should use that
loop in a modified way..

Best

Markus



I have been informed from another group that VBA would be
required and
that you can't get information out of a spreadsheet
without opening it, but
that
opening can be done with screen updating off, so the user
doesn't see it
happening.

Any help would be gratefully recieved
Thanks

.