Leveraging Linked Workbooks in Excel

Author: David H. Ringstrom

When you participate in this presentation, you’ll learn from Excel expert David Ringstrom, CPA, the pros and cons of workbook links and how to create and work with them. Because workbook links allow you to connect one Excel spreadsheet to other spreadsheets, Word documents, databases, and even web pages, they’re quite beneficial. David covers such topics as how to dramatically improve the integrity of linked workbooks, copy links across rows or down columns, and repair broken links.

David demonstrates every technique at least twice: first, on a PowerPoint slide with numbered steps, and second, in Excel 2016. He draws your attention to any differences in Excel 2013, 2010, or 2007 during the presentation as well as in his detailed handouts. David also provides an Excel workbook that includes most of the examples he uses during the course.

Publication Date: August 2018

Designed For
Practitioners seeking to learn about Excel workbook links and improve the integrity of their linked workbooks.

Topics Covered

• Controlling whether or not linked workbooks update automatically and how to suppress unwanted prompts.
• Creating flexible workbook links that can be copied down columns or across rows.
• Learning about a free tool you can use to locate even the most buried workbook links.
• Eliminating the risk of workbook links by using Microsoft Query to get data from one workbook into another.
• Employing the SUMIF function to sum values related to multiple instances of criteria you specify.
• Integrating data on web pages into your workbooks and creating automatic links.
• Learning how to arrange two worksheets from within the same workbook on-screen and at the same time.
• Learning how to break links to other workbooks and data sources.
• Learning how to repair broken workbook links.
• Learning the most efficient way to link Word documents and Excel spreadsheets.
• Learning the risks of linked workbooks, determining if a workbook contains links, and seeing how links can hide within Excel features.
• Learning which functions to avoid when creating workbook links.

Learning Objectives

• Recall how to link Excel workbooks to other sources.
• Describe how to use Microsoft Query to move data from one workbook into another.
• Identify and take control of security prompts and settings related to linked workbooks.

Level
Intermediate

Instructional Method
Self-Study

NASBA Field of Study
Computer Software & Applications (2 hours)

Program Prerequisites
Experience with Excel Spreadsheets

Advance Preparation
None