I not sure that you can get it to automatically update. You first would have
to save the data in file 1. the changes you make to file 1 are only in
memeory and file 2 can only get the data if it is saved.

I not sure exactly how two feature of excel behave

1) The automatic recaulate feature of excel. Excel recognizes when any cell
gets changed and then recaculates all the other cells. I don't think excel
checks if a file that is linked is updated. Yo may need t do a manula update
or have a macro that runs off a timer to perform the recaculate. Not sure.

2) I don't know if the workbook needs to be shared so the datza can be
updated.

"Doug" wrote:

I don't think you read my question properly. I'm not opening the same file,
I'm opening 2 separate files. File2 gets data from File1. I don't get a
"read only" message. What I want to know is, how do I get File2 to update
automatically when File1 data is changed.

"Joel" wrote:

The answer is no on windows. When a file that is already is opened in
windows gets opened by a 2nd person the 2nd person gets a read only file that
is a copy of the file and not the original. the 2nd file cannont write back
to the original file location.

If you used Access instead of Excel then when the file is opened by two
people and the file is set to shared mode then when one person updates the
data the 2nd person also gets the changes.

"Doug" wrote:

I have 2 files, File2 gets data from File1. I used a formula in file2
=X:\Folder\[File1.xls]Totals'!$D$2. If both files are open on the same
computer, File2 updates automatically when data in File1 is changed. If I
open File2 on another computer I get a window that asks to "Update File". I
click OK and the file opens with the correct information, however it doesn't
update if data on File1 is changed after File2 is open.

Is there a way to have File2 update automatically when File1 is changed?

Thanks for your help.
Doug