Linking Workbooks
 

I am having a problem with my linked workbooks. The workbooks are in three
levels and I can't get the top level workbook to reflect data from the bottom
level workbook unless the middle level workbook is open.

Example:
Imagine I work at GM. I have a data entry workbook in which I enter basic
information for types of cars we sold. That data entry workbook populates
specific data into worksheets in mid level workbooks for each brand of car we
sell. There would a separate mid-level workbook for each Cheverolet, GMC,
Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Buick, Hummer and Saturn. In the Cheverolet workbook,
there would separate worksheets for Prius, Silverado, Tahoe, Cavalier and
Malibu. Each of those worksheets is populated with linked from the data
entry workbook. There is a summary page for each mid-level workbook on which
data from each worksheet in that workbook is summed.

The top level workbook contains separate wooksheets that are linked to each
summary worksheet in the corresponding mid-level workbook. In my example,
there would be a separate worksheet for Cheverolet, GMC, Oldsmobile, Pontiac,
Buick, Hummer and Saturn and an "overall summary" worksheet that sums all of
these worksheets together to give me raw statistics about GM cars, such as
how many cars did GM sell last year.

My problem is that these links do not work reliably. In order to get the
information populated into the top-layer workbook, I have to have each of the
corresponding mid-level workbooks open. I don't seem to have a problem
linking the data from the data entry workbook to the mid-level workbook when
the data entry workbook is closed.

Having all of these mid-level workbooks open (there are 32 of them) defeats
the purpose of linking. Is there any way to correct this problem?

--
Dede McEachern
Director of Licensing
Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation