Reliability of Links

I should be grateful for any comments on a link problem I am having.
The model consists of a Control sheet that is source for certain data to
a series of Intermediary workbooks that are updated by other users.
The intermediary books are source for a single report book that
consolidates data by simple links.

In testing (with all workbooks open) I find that when data is added to
the Control workbook some of the expected changes in the Report do not
occur. It makes no difference whether auto calculate or manual
calculate is set. However, F2 Edit followed by Enter prompts an
immediate correction. The links between the Control and Intermediate
sheets are working fine.

What is happening here and how can I be certain that links will work
correctly in use?

Working with Excel 2000 in Windows XP.

Very many thanks for your help.


--
Tony Prynne

Tony Prynne wrote:
What is happening here and how can I be certain that links will work
correctly in use?


For the Control - Intermediary - Report links to work correctly when
changes are made to the Control workbook the Intermediary workbooks
also need to be open and calculation needs to be automatic.

If the links are not updating correctly in those circumstances I would
suspect you have a broken "calculation tree" in one or more of the
workbooks. Certain versions of Excel (notably 97, but I think also the
initial version of 2000) have had bugs that result in cells being left
out of the calculation tree that Excel uses to determine the order of
calculation.

To overcome the problem try
Ctrl+Alt+F9
with all the workbooks open.

Failing that, try visiting each sheet and
Edit / Replace / = / = / Replace All

Bill Manville
MVP - Microsoft Excel, Oxford, England
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