Spreadsheets are overwriting each other
 

Here is one that has got me completely stumped.

The Problem:
I have two spreadsheets that link to files created by an accounting program.
The links are identical although the data is diffrent depending on when the
link was last updated. I open up one spreadsheet and select Don't update. I
then open the other within the same instance of excel and select Don't
update. The values in the cells with the identical links update with the
first spreadsheet values. The Kicker is that one one computer this does not
occur.

What I have done:
I have looked for several days to find a solution. (Google, several Forums,
etc.) I place a computer with the problem beside on without and compared
settings. I checked to be sure we both had identical versions of Excel. I
have run all available updates. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated

I'm confused about what links are updating.

You open workbook_A (answering no to the update links to the accounting data).

Then you open workbook_B (answering no to the update links to the accounting
data), but the links back to workbook_A get updated?

If that's true, then this is normal behavior. I've never seen excel not update
links between two workbooks that are open in the same instance. (In fact, I'd
bet that the behavior you saw on that other pc could be explained by different
instances of excel--or links pointing to a different (closed) workbook.)



Bryan wrote:

Here is one that has got me completely stumped.

The Problem:
I have two spreadsheets that link to files created by an accounting program.
The links are identical although the data is diffrent depending on when the
link was last updated. I open up one spreadsheet and select Don't update. I
then open the other within the same instance of excel and select Don't
update. The values in the cells with the identical links update with the
first spreadsheet values. The Kicker is that one one computer this does not
occur.

What I have done:
I have looked for several days to find a solution. (Google, several Forums,
etc.) I place a computer with the problem beside on without and compared
settings. I checked to be sure we both had identical versions of Excel. I
have run all available updates. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated

--

Dave Peterson

Dave,

thank you for your reply.

Worksheet B is not linked to Worksheet A. THe links are to an external
program.

Say worksheet A has a link in cell A1 that has a value of johnny
Worksheet B has a link to the same external program in cell A1 with a value
of Bob

If I open worksheet A and answer dont update and then open worksheet B and
answer Dont Update (Both worksheets are open), the value in cell A1 is
changed to johnny. The reverse is true as well. If I open worksheet B then
answer dont update and open worksheet A answering dont update, then cell A1
in worksheet A is changed to Bob.

I hope this clarifys the problem

Bryan



"Dave Peterson" wrote:

I'm confused about what links are updating.

You open workbook_A (answering no to the update links to the accounting data).

Then you open workbook_B (answering no to the update links to the accounting
data), but the links back to workbook_A get updated?

If that's true, then this is normal behavior. I've never seen excel not update
links between two workbooks that are open in the same instance. (In fact, I'd
bet that the behavior you saw on that other pc could be explained by different
instances of excel--or links pointing to a different (closed) workbook.)



Bryan wrote:

Here is one that has got me completely stumped.

The Problem:
I have two spreadsheets that link to files created by an accounting program.
The links are identical although the data is diffrent depending on when the
link was last updated. I open up one spreadsheet and select Don't update. I
then open the other within the same instance of excel and select Don't
update. The values in the cells with the identical links update with the
first spreadsheet values. The Kicker is that one one computer this does not
occur.

What I have done:
I have looked for several days to find a solution. (Google, several Forums,
etc.) I place a computer with the problem beside on without and compared
settings. I checked to be sure we both had identical versions of Excel. I
have run all available updates. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated

--

Dave Peterson

It clarifies the problem--but now I don't have a suggestion.

I've never seen excel behave this way.

===
One more question though...

Are you sure that the links are getting updated? Maybe they were saved at
different times--when that workbook had Bob, then Johnny in that cell????

And since the links weren't updated, the old (and older) values didn't change.



Bryan wrote:

Dave,

thank you for your reply.

Worksheet B is not linked to Worksheet A. THe links are to an external
program.

Say worksheet A has a link in cell A1 that has a value of johnny
Worksheet B has a link to the same external program in cell A1 with a value
of Bob

If I open worksheet A and answer dont update and then open worksheet B and
answer Dont Update (Both worksheets are open), the value in cell A1 is
changed to johnny. The reverse is true as well. If I open worksheet B then
answer dont update and open worksheet A answering dont update, then cell A1
in worksheet A is changed to Bob.

I hope this clarifys the problem

Bryan

"Dave Peterson" wrote:

I'm confused about what links are updating.

You open workbook_A (answering no to the update links to the accounting data).

Then you open workbook_B (answering no to the update links to the accounting
data), but the links back to workbook_A get updated?

If that's true, then this is normal behavior. I've never seen excel not update
links between two workbooks that are open in the same instance. (In fact, I'd
bet that the behavior you saw on that other pc could be explained by different
instances of excel--or links pointing to a different (closed) workbook.)



Bryan wrote:

Here is one that has got me completely stumped.

The Problem:
I have two spreadsheets that link to files created by an accounting program.
The links are identical although the data is diffrent depending on when the
link was last updated. I open up one spreadsheet and select Don't update. I
then open the other within the same instance of excel and select Don't
update. The values in the cells with the identical links update with the
first spreadsheet values. The Kicker is that one one computer this does not
occur.

What I have done:
I have looked for several days to find a solution. (Google, several Forums,
etc.) I place a computer with the problem beside on without and compared
settings. I checked to be sure we both had identical versions of Excel. I
have run all available updates. Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated

--

Dave Peterson


--

Dave Peterson

I think the key to this one are the settings in

Tools -- Options -- Calculation...

And the tick-boxes
- "Update remote references" and
- "Save external link values".

As I understand it, a workbook that doesn't have the latter one ticked is forced to read the values from the external link, regardless of whether 'Update' or 'Don't Update' is selected.

Whether you are asked the question about whether you want to Update or not doesn't depend on the setting of the latter, but on the former (i.e. "Update remote references").

If you untick this one, the question won't get asked, but if "Save external link values" is left unticked you would then get no value at all in the remotely-linked cells. So your Johnny and Bob may read #VALUE or #NAME or #REF.

In short, the answer would appear to be, untick "Update"... and tick "Save external..." on BOTH worksheets.

NOTE: Even though these settings are in Tools -- Options, they are WORKBOOK-SPECIFIC, not Application-specific

BizMark

The way I read the help for that "update remote references" is that it's not
used with excel files.

Update remote references Calculates and updates formulas that include references
to other applications.



BizMark wrote:

I think the key to this one are the settings in

Tools -- Options -- Calculation...

And the tick-boxes
- "Update remote references" and
- "Save external link values".

As I understand it, a workbook that doesn't have the latter one ticked
is forced to read the values from the external link, regardless of
whether 'Update' or 'Don't Update' is selected.

Whether you are asked the question about whether you want to Update or
not doesn't depend on the setting of the latter, but on the former
(i.e. "Update remote references").

If you untick this one, the question won't get asked, but if "Save
external link values" is left unticked you would then get no value at
all in the remotely-linked cells. So your Johnny and Bob may read
#VALUE or #NAME or #REF.

In short, the answer would appear to be, untick "Update"... and tick
"Save external..." on BOTH worksheets.

NOTE: Even though these settings are in Tools -- Options, they are
WORKBOOK-SPECIFIC, not Application-specific

BizMark

--
BizMark

--

Dave Peterson