Maybe you could have another workbook contains a macro that opens the other 20
workbooks. The macro would need to know all the names and passwords for the
files.

This expects a worksheet named WkbkList that contains the names of the files in
A2:Axxx (headers in row 1) and passwords in B2:Bxxx. (The filenames have to
include the drive, path and name.)

Option Explicit
Sub testme()

Dim myFileNames As Variant
Dim myPasswords As Variant
Dim iCtr As Long
Dim myRealWkbk As Workbook
Dim myRealWkbkName As String
Dim wkbk As Workbook

'the workbook with all the links
myRealWkbkName = "C:\my documents\excel\book1.xls"

With Worksheets("WkbkList")
myFileNames = .Range("a2:b" & _
.Cells(.Rows.Count, "A").End(xlUp).Row).Value
End With

Set myRealWkbk = Workbooks.Open(Filename:=myRealWkbkName, UpdateLinks:=0)

For iCtr = LBound(myFileNames, 1) To UBound(myFileNames, 1)
Set wkbk = Nothing
On Error Resume Next
Set wkbk = Workbooks.Open(Filename:=myFileNames(iCtr, 1), _
Password:=myFileNames(iCtr, 2), _
ReadOnly:=True)
On Error GoTo 0

If wkbk Is Nothing Then
MsgBox "Check file: " & myFileNames(iCtr, 1)
Else
'the links should have updated when
'this workbook was opened.
'so we can close it here
wkbk.Close savechanges:=False
End If
Next iCtr

End Sub

If the files are all in the same folder, you don't have to include that in the
worksheet cells. You could just tell the program where to look:

Change this line:

Set wkbk = Workbooks.Open(Filename:=myFileNames(iCtr, 1), _
Password:=myFileNames(iCtr, 2), _
ReadOnly:=True)

to:

Set wkbk = Workbooks.Open(Filename:="C:\myfoldernamehere\" & _
myFileNames(iCtr, 1), _
Password:=myFileNames(iCtr, 2), _
ReadOnly:=True)

tmax wrote:

I have approximately 40 Excel Files all to be updated by individual Users,
all password protected and accessible only to one user each.

I also have a "summary" workbook to be reviewed on a daily basis.

it is a big inconvenience to have to know and type 40 different user
passwords on a daily basis to have all links updated. Is there any way
arround that?

Thank you.

--

Dave Peterson