Since the conversion to 2007 we have found that Excel is changing link
references for files with the same file name, but different paths.

A simplified example:
We have two files labeled "month-end stats.xls" in each a June 2007 and May
2007 folder. Our "Trend.xls" spreadsheet is linked to each of these
spreadsheets.

If I open the month-end stats file in the May 2007 folder, and then open the
Trend.xls file, ALL of the links will change to reference the opened file.
The links that were referencing the June 2007 data now reference the file in
the May 2007 folder. Once I close the month-end stats file, the full path of
the link is displayed and it clearly changed the path of the link to
reference the other file.

Because I work with many different files from different sources, combating
this problem by giving each and every file a unique name is not practical.
This problem did not occur in any earlier version of Excel and appears to be
more prone to happen when I have links in formulas (such as sumif) than with
simple cell references.

It has occurred multiple times and I can recreate it, so I know there has to
be an issue.

CPA Dan:

I posted the same question and no replies yet.

I am running into the same problem and it is definitely not practical to
redo and invest time in saving source files with unique names, specially
since it never happened with previous Excels.

Have you been able to figure how to fix this yet?

"CPA Dan" wrote:

Since the conversion to 2007 we have found that Excel is changing link
references for files with the same file name, but different paths.

A simplified example:
We have two files labeled "month-end stats.xls" in each a June 2007 and May
2007 folder. Our "Trend.xls" spreadsheet is linked to each of these
spreadsheets.

If I open the month-end stats file in the May 2007 folder, and then open the
Trend.xls file, ALL of the links will change to reference the opened file.
The links that were referencing the June 2007 data now reference the file in
the May 2007 folder. Once I close the month-end stats file, the full path of
the link is displayed and it clearly changed the path of the link to
reference the other file.

Because I work with many different files from different sources, combating
this problem by giving each and every file a unique name is not practical.
This problem did not occur in any earlier version of Excel and appears to be
more prone to happen when I have links in formulas (such as sumif) than with
simple cell references.

It has occurred multiple times and I can recreate it, so I know there has to
be an issue.

I think we have to wait for Microsoft to fix its error. It's not practical
for me to use unique names either (a lot of files and they come from
different sources). I just try to make sure everything is closed when I view
the spreadsheet (which isn't really practical either).

Mostly I just hope I don't miss something.

"EMG" wrote:

CPA Dan:

I posted the same question and no replies yet.

I am running into the same problem and it is definitely not practical to
redo and invest time in saving source files with unique names, specially
since it never happened with previous Excels.

Have you been able to figure how to fix this yet?

"CPA Dan" wrote:

Since the conversion to 2007 we have found that Excel is changing link
references for files with the same file name, but different paths.

A simplified example:
We have two files labeled "month-end stats.xls" in each a June 2007 and May
2007 folder. Our "Trend.xls" spreadsheet is linked to each of these
spreadsheets.

If I open the month-end stats file in the May 2007 folder, and then open the
Trend.xls file, ALL of the links will change to reference the opened file.
The links that were referencing the June 2007 data now reference the file in
the May 2007 folder. Once I close the month-end stats file, the full path of
the link is displayed and it clearly changed the path of the link to
reference the other file.

Because I work with many different files from different sources, combating
this problem by giving each and every file a unique name is not practical.
This problem did not occur in any earlier version of Excel and appears to be
more prone to happen when I have links in formulas (such as sumif) than with
simple cell references.

It has occurred multiple times and I can recreate it, so I know there has to
be an issue.

CPA Dan,

Are you having the same problem below?

I have another issue that we discovered and it's probably correlated with
the linking problem I presented earlier in this thread.

I get a circular error if I link a current file to another file, from a
different folder, with the same name. Example, C:\...US\Template.xlsx (File
1) has cells linking to C:\...Brazil\Template.xlsx (File 2). When
programming File 1 there are no errors, but once saved and reopened, it
removes the link and presents a circular error. I believe it does the same
thing where it redirects the links automatically.


"CPA Dan" wrote:

I think we have to wait for Microsoft to fix its error. It's not practical
for me to use unique names either (a lot of files and they come from
different sources). I just try to make sure everything is closed when I view
the spreadsheet (which isn't really practical either).

Mostly I just hope I don't miss something.

"EMG" wrote:

CPA Dan:

I posted the same question and no replies yet.

I am running into the same problem and it is definitely not practical to
redo and invest time in saving source files with unique names, specially
since it never happened with previous Excels.

Have you been able to figure how to fix this yet?

"CPA Dan" wrote:

Since the conversion to 2007 we have found that Excel is changing link
references for files with the same file name, but different paths.

A simplified example:
We have two files labeled "month-end stats.xls" in each a June 2007 and May
2007 folder. Our "Trend.xls" spreadsheet is linked to each of these
spreadsheets.

If I open the month-end stats file in the May 2007 folder, and then open the
Trend.xls file, ALL of the links will change to reference the opened file.
The links that were referencing the June 2007 data now reference the file in
the May 2007 folder. Once I close the month-end stats file, the full path of
the link is displayed and it clearly changed the path of the link to
reference the other file.

Because I work with many different files from different sources, combating
this problem by giving each and every file a unique name is not practical.
This problem did not occur in any earlier version of Excel and appears to be
more prone to happen when I have links in formulas (such as sumif) than with
simple cell references.

It has occurred multiple times and I can recreate it, so I know there has to
be an issue.