I have a database of data in excel that I want to copy and paste (link) to a new sheet where I can manipulate the data to a more readable form. However, the database does not have a set number of cells and updates regularly (the reason why it needs to be linked). The database changes size on a daily basis either shrinking or expanding. Is there a way to link the database even though it need to be a dynamic range?
I have a similar situation for one of my reports where I don't want to mess with the live data. All I do is create the link by going to the new sheet and typing something like =iferror(C:\USER\Database.xlsx\sheet1!A1," ") and fill across all the way and down all the way. The iferror checks for data and if there is no data inserts a space. That is how you can overcome the dynamic columns and with issues. The new spreadsheet will then be linked to the raw data set and you can manipulate it as needed.
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I have a large imported .csv as a (Query) table in an Excel workbook. I'd like for users of the workbook to be able to select a small subset of that data and update some values without having to play around with filters on the table.
To that end, I've set up a FILTER on a separate sheet, something like:
=FILTER(my_table[some_column], my_table[id_column]="some value")
That pulls in values from the relevant column and displays them.
My question: is there any way to allow users to edit the values retrieved with the FILTER, so that the changes are reflected in the original table? Attempting to edit such a value now just edits the underlying field, causing the FILTER to update and display #SPILL! (which makes sense, since there is not enough free space to render the result).
I've looked at options for FILTER, and thought about writing some custom VBA code to do what FILTER does "manually", and then watch the sheet for updates in that range - but that seems like a lot of coding to do something I would imagine is more commonly needed?
Am I going to have to code this up in VBA? Or is there some alternative approach to using the FILTER?
I have no previous experience in Access, VBA coding or in Excel macros prior to teaching myself the past month via these forums. Thank you forums and contributors. I have enjoyed my Access learnings so far, the challenge that it has provided and appreciate any help that I can get. As such, the code and methods that I have used to this point may well be convoluted and confusing. I will do my best to provide relevant details and accurate terminology.
I work in a lab and I am creating an Access Form for semi-automated reporting. Samples are received from clients and are logged into the Excel Table R&D Log. The worksheet is InProcess. Samples are sorted based on the site in which they originate and given a one or two letter site code (G, D, WH, etc.) and an ID "yy-000" in separate Excel columns (i.e. D 18-096). Samples may be submitted for multiple analyses (Metals, Water, Soil, etc.) and may even have multiple rows of reporting if multiple analytes are identified in the sample. There are several other columns, such as receipt date, reporting date, units, etc. Once samples are reported, I manually copy and paste them into the Archived worksheet, and delete the record and blank row from the InProcess worksheet. Since one sample may have multiple analyses and even more potential results, each record would be reported on a new Excel row (with the same D 18-096 ID number). Thus, there is not a single unique identifier or primary key for each sample in the current format. R&D Log is updated manually by lab technicians and the worksheet InProcess is a linked table in an Access Database.
The Access Database is using two combo boxes on a Form frmInProcess to filter a Query qryInProcess of the linked table. The combo boxes are filtering the report destination (one client may receive multiple site codes) and the analysis (reports are separated based on type of analysis). The Query is also filtering out blank results and blank dates, so only completed samples will appear on the filtered Form. I have generated VBA code to this point that will export the Form to a .pdf, save the file with unique filename, and open outlook to mail out the report. I have also managed to export the filtered Form frmInProcess to an Excel file Access Test (not the linked file).
What I would like to do now is to automate the transfer of completed test results from the Excel worksheet R&D Log: InProcess to R&D Log: Archived and delete the record from the InProcess worksheet. I am not sure if I can export the filtered Form into a linked Excel table, or if I must use a separate Excel file (or if it even matters for simplicity of code?). I would now like to read the exported filtered Form in Excel Access Test, lookup matching rows in R&D Log based on several criteria (site, ID, Analysis, Analyte, Report Date) and automate the transfer of records between R&D Log worksheets. End result being that Access generates reports for completed tests, and the records are removed from InProcess testing and transferred to Archived testing in Excel. I am guessing that I may need to close the Access application and perform this in Excel. Hope this is easy enough to follow.
Thank you.
In my experience, importing an Excel document into a temporary NEW (or totally empty) Access table is usually the easiest way to go. Then you do not have to worry about cell references like you do in Excel VBA. Even if the Excel document has old data in it with just a few new changes each time, importing it into a temporary Access table could be the simplest way to go, because then you can compare the data in this table with the data in another, permanent Access table and update the latter based on the former.
As far as the original Excel file, if you need to delete rows there, it might be quicker to export a new Excel file with just the data the old one is supposed to end up with, and then use VBA to delete (or - safer! - rename) the old file.
So the development process goes something like this:
Save import steps by first importing an Excel file via Access' ribbon options "External Data" (tab) ->"Excel" and when you finish, be sure to check the "Save import steps" box and note the name you give the "saved import" because you will need that in your VBA code.
In Access, write a function for deleting the table. The VBA code is:
Const cTable = "MyExcelTempTable"
If TableExists(cTable) Then
DoCmd.DeleteObject acTable, cTable
End If
Now you can test your delete function on the data you imported.
Write VBA code to import the same spreadsheet to create the same table:
Const cSavedImport = "Import-MyExcelTempTable"
' Import the Excel file
DoCmd.RunSavedImportExport cSavedImport
Write more VBA function(s) to check the imported table for bad data and then to copy it into the permanent table. You might be updating existing records or adding new ones. Either way, you could use Access queries or SQL to do this and run them from VBA.
Write a VBA function to rename the old Excel file. (You could use an InputBox if the Excel file name is different each time. I do this for importing Excel files, and I set a default value so I do not have to type as much.)
Write a VBA function to export the new version of the Excel file.
Make yourself a button on a form that, when clicked, runs a VBA function. Inside that function, run Steps 2 through 6, above.
I am not sure my answer exactly matches what you are trying to do, but hopefully you get enough of a picture of the workflow to figure out the details of what you need.
I have a complex workbook full of formulas linking back to a set of tabs at the beginning which contain the source data.
Currently that data is stored as a static set of data. I want to replace it with a dynamic external connection. Problem is, when I load up the table it "helpfully" shunts the existing static data to the side, and all the formulas in the workbook "helpfully" update to reflect that- so they point to the old data in the new cells, not my new table!
Is there any way to either
A) overwrite the cells rather than inserting extra extra columns
B) Long shot- temporarily Excel updating formulas?
I think that this question is similar to mine, but has no useful advice for my situation - I don't want to and probably can't manually update every formula range.
Thanks.
After some experimenting it turns out the inserting of extra columns only takes place if data is present in the cells you are going to overwrite.
So deleting the data (NOT the cells) and then loading the query to the now clean area will work fine- formulae in the rest of the workbook will continue to link to the table.
We're looking at allowing our customers to download an Excel file from our web application which contains a raw export of their data along with some basic charts and pivot tables based on that data.
The basic way, we want to make this work is that we have a fixed Excel file which contains all the reporting elements in one worksheet and have room for the underlying data in another worksheet. When the user requests their Excel report, we programmatically fill out the data worksheet with their results and send them the final Excel file.
Everything seemed a bit to easy when doing the prototyping with a fixed set of data. The dataset we worked with was added to the Excel Data Model and we then set up the charts and other reporting elements. However, when using that file as the template for the generated Excel file in our application we are finding that the definition of the data model still remains - meaning, that we built the "protype" with a table definition of $A$1:$T$5879
but when generating the report, that definition isn't changed to contain whatever size the added dataset might have.
We're using EPPlus to work with the generation of our Excel sheets and have so far been unable to find any sort of solution to this kind of problem. This might very much be due to us being quite Excel novices. The goal is to have the user experience, that the charts and pivot tables contained in the Excel sheet reflects the total dataset contained in the Excel file without them having to do anything.
Ok, I've actually found a solution for it.
The solution was right infront of us.
We define the dataset as a named set - this is done under under the "Formulas" and inside the "Name Manager". We have a range which defines our dataset - the "Refers To" field when defining a range can take a formula. So intead of giving it a fixed size, we use this: =OFFSET(Data!$A$1;0;0;COUNTA(Data!$A:$A);COUNTA(Data!$1:$1))
This counts the amount of rows and columns, with reference to A1 in our Data worksheet. All our pivots are set to reload on startup and that seems to work.
I have an Excel 2010 data table which is driven by a query from MSSQL. The underlying query changes depending upon what options the user selects in the Excel workbook. I'm okay with changing the query and pulling the data.
After the data has been selected multiple users will be able to edit and append data to the Excel table and these changes will post back to the SQL database table. Due to the database table structure some of these cells within a given row are mandatory before any data can be inserted into MSSQL and/or potentially updated.
So what I'm trying to achieve is checks on whether certain columns in a row are blank after a cell is edited (I can do this via Worksheet Change) and also before they move off that row so I can bring up a message if all mandatory columns haven't been entered. I can't see any events that fire before Selection Change. My only thoughts on a workaround is to have a global variable row marker that is updated on Selection Change, i.e. it will store the previous row number. I can't use Excel's standard data validation functionality looking at blank cells because although this is fine for a currently correctly populated row that is being edited, inserting new rows or appending directly to the bottom of the table will constantly error as all those mandatory columns will, of course, be blank. Currently I am using conditional formatting to at least highlight columns/cells that require input although this doesn't force users to actually do it. Data cannot be stored within MSSQL until these columns contain data so if they don't fill them in and refresh the table for whatever reason, whatever they have entered will be lost. Obviously this is bad, m'kay. I am concerned about both the Worksheet Change and Selection Change events constantly firing and how that will affect workbook performance.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. Maybe I'm going about this all wrong so any ideas to make this more efficient would also be well received. The user base do not want to see UserForms or MS Access even though it would make this activity very easy. They are too used to the look and feel of Excel sheets.
your best way is to copy the table into 2d array or some other data structure in memory such as dictionary or collection. and than manage each change in memory. this one is very efficient but requires a lot of code. with excel the only problem you have is the key the rest is vlookup and true false questions. vlookup will find the original value and then you have current data + previous data + the logic... is the new data ok?