Can I make one spreadsheet retrieve info from previous spreadshee.
 

I use Excell spreadsheets to enter data for payroll. I want to track
employees' cumulative hours without having to print out last pay period's
spreadsheets and re-typing the total hours into the current spreadsheet. I
thought maybe I could somehow format cells to retrieve data from cells in
other spreadsheets, but I don't know if that is possible. If it is possible,
I have NO idea how to do it!

by spreadsheets are we talking about worksheets (in one workbook) or diffent
workbooks?
either way you might like to check out the VLOOKUP function in help as we'll
need to know how your data is arranged to provide a better answer

if you'ld like to post back with an idea of how your worksheets / books are
set up ie where the employee names are, what column has the cumulative hours
in it, where you'ld like them put - we could probably provide a better
answer. Note, please do not attach a workbook.

Cheers
JulieD

"melzki" wrote in message
...
I use Excell spreadsheets to enter data for payroll. I want to track
employees' cumulative hours without having to print out last pay period's
spreadsheets and re-typing the total hours into the current spreadsheet.
I
thought maybe I could somehow format cells to retrieve data from cells in
other spreadsheets, but I don't know if that is possible. If it is
possible,
I have NO idea how to do it!

I've got a different workbook for each pay period, but I could possibly use
one workbook with a worksheet for each pay period, if necessary. I keep one
blank, and each pay period I enter the data and save it with a new name.
Here's what it looks like: The employees' names in the A column on the left,
then from left to right are the names of the clients for each employee, and
in the columns farthest to the right are the total hours worked, and total
travel expense. The cells in those columns have simple sum formulas.
Example: Employee A has 3 clients, so in the first row from left to right,
you see Employee A's name, client #1's name, client #2's name, client #3's
name, then "total hours", then "total travel". Then in the second row you
see x hours under each client's name, and under "total hours" is the
automatic sum. Then in the third row you see x hours under each client's
name, and under "total travel" is the automatic sum. I'd like to add another
column where the total hours from last pay period are added to the total
hours from this pay period, and so on, so that when an employee calls and
asks, "How many hours have I worked for you?" I can just look at the most
recent payroll worksheet and have the answer. I hope this explanation is
understandable!
Thanks,
Mel

"JulieD" wrote:

by spreadsheets are we talking about worksheets (in one workbook) or diffent
workbooks?
either way you might like to check out the VLOOKUP function in help as we'll
need to know how your data is arranged to provide a better answer

if you'ld like to post back with an idea of how your worksheets / books are
set up ie where the employee names are, what column has the cumulative hours
in it, where you'ld like them put - we could probably provide a better
answer. Note, please do not attach a workbook.

Cheers
JulieD

"melzki" wrote in message
...
I use Excell spreadsheets to enter data for payroll. I want to track
employees' cumulative hours without having to print out last pay period's
spreadsheets and re-typing the total hours into the current spreadsheet.
I
thought maybe I could somehow format cells to retrieve data from cells in
other spreadsheets, but I don't know if that is possible. If it is
possible,
I have NO idea how to do it!