I work in construction estimation and am often plugging in the same data
repeated times. Is there any way to create a workbook or sheet for example
with a control material list with prices and other data in different columns
and then access and insert this information in different workbooks with a
pull down menu or some other method? Example: A workbook would have material
list of 2 X 4 lumber of varying lengths, and prices attached to each piece.
Then, when doing estimates if I need 2 X 4 X 10, I would type this in a cell,
or choose it from a pull down menu and the price and other data would
automatically be entered in adjacent cells.

It would make data entry easier, and if I have to do material price changes
I can do it once in the control workbook instead of a bunch of time
throughout the estimate.

Dan,

for what you want to do, look into Data Validation and VLOOKUP. The
former will allow you to set cells so that a drop-down automatically
appears when you click on them for entry. The latter is a formula
which, looking at the basic code, will bring up all relevant
information.

HTH
Kostis Vezerides

Dan Spracklin wrote:
I work in construction estimation and am often plugging in the same data
repeated times. Is there any way to create a workbook or sheet for example
with a control material list with prices and other data in different columns
and then access and insert this information in different workbooks with a
pull down menu or some other method? Example: A workbook would have material
list of 2 X 4 lumber of varying lengths, and prices attached to each piece.
Then, when doing estimates if I need 2 X 4 X 10, I would type this in a cell,
or choose it from a pull down menu and the price and other data would
automatically be entered in adjacent cells.

It would make data entry easier, and if I have to do material price changes
I can do it once in the control workbook instead of a bunch of time
throughout the estimate.