动态工作簿名称更改和单元格引用-是否可以？

Question

my question is a pre-code question, as I would like to verify if and which is the best option to go about this - either formula, VBA or not possible.

I have a main workbook with an array of codes inside cells in sheet 1 - all in the format HXXX-XXX-XXX where X is numbers ranging from 0-9. Each code has an associated revision number as shown in the attached picture.

The workbook itself is named in the format: 'HXXX-XXX-XXX-YY Example Title' where YY can be any number starting from 0 to infinity (in theory). Only YY is subject to updates in the title. If changes are made in this workbook, then a new version is saved, with the YY changing in the title to the next consecutive number - Nothing else changes.

From this main workbook there are a large number of other workbooks (around 50) which share the same codes and revisions. My goal is to link all these workbooks up so that I only have to update a core main workbook and the rest of the codes (HXXX-XXX-XXX) revisions in all the other linked workbooks update accordingly.

The problem is that the other linked workbooks have a dynamic name in the format: 'HXXX-XXX-XXX-YY Example Title 2' where YY can be any number starting from 0 to infinity. YY gets updated to the next consecutive number if a change is made inside the document and this document is then saved as a separate document using Save As. NOTE: not all workbooks will get updated at the same time, as it all depends on which codes and therefore revisions are changing.

My question is firstly, is this possible with current excel functions to update links with ever-changing workbook links, which are saved as different files each time in the same folder?

Secondly, I have read about the INDIRECT function, but it is limited only to having the required workbooks opened at the same time as the updates to the main workbook, hence I am unsure that Formulas will work (I will be linking 50 workbooks to the main workbook) - From this I am gauging that VBA may be the best option, but I would like to double check this is possible before I begin attempting the code.

Of course the use of Formulas in the sheets would be much better, but because the file names are dynamic, and since the updated workbooks are saved as different files each time changes are made to it, I don't believe this is possible.

Answer 1

If I understand your problem correctly you need to differentiate between 3 things.

Using only Excel Formulas. The problem with this is that formulas crossing workbooks have the big disadvantage, that you need to have the source-workbook open, otherwise manny formulas will not work correctly or update. You also have the disadvantage that saving the file needs still to be done automatically. The advantage is that you do not need VBA macros.

Using Power Query With Power Query youmight be able to solve the problems with the dynamic names.You can even read a whole folder of files, combine them and do transformations without the need to open the files manually. But you still need to save new files manually and the files will only update once they are opened.

Using VBA You can prettymuch do everything you asked in your problem description but VBA has its own disadvantages. Firstly the file-format ".xlsm" is not allowed by the IT department everywhere. Also to work, every user using the files needs to activate macros, otherwise the macros won't get executed. Therefore I think a VBA solution is better fitted if you only have a small circle of users or if you can execute the macros on your own (eg if the main workbook was updated, you need to execute a macro which opens, modifies and saves all affected files). After that you colleagues do not need VBA themself.

Possible solution: To avoid VBA you could try to create a Power Query in each "other workbook". The query will read all filenames in the folder where the main workbook is located. Now you sort and filter for the workbook with the newest/highest ID/Titel automatically and load the result as an seperate Excel sheet (all that is possible with power query and without VBA). Now you can use the "indirect" formula to use the ID/Titel to link to the newest main workbook. As mentioned above this will require that the main workbook is opened. Otherwise the indirect formula will not update the values. If that is out of the question, you probably need to go with VBA.