Creating an actionable workbook

[rcook78]

Hello everyone. I'd first like to say that while I am a new member to posting, Mr. Excel has certainly "bailed me out" many of times. I really appreciate everything that this board has on it. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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I currently work in an office environment with lots and updating and changing information. We frequently get about 10 email messages a day with new or changed information. While sorting these emails into folders and subfolders that can be easily searched is helpful, I think it'd be a lot easier for me to have a "quick reference" of sorts. I've dreamed up this little workbook idea that I have had for quite a while now but am at an absolute loss...I don't have any experience with VBA would like to stay away from it if possible.<o></o>
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Basically, my idea is to open the Excel workbook on the first worksheet and have a list box that scrolls. I'd like to be able to select one of possibly 8 main "topics" and have a second list box populate with roughly 10-20 "subtopics." Then, ideally, I'd like to hit a submit button that would "bounce" me to another worksheet where I entered my notes. I'd like that button to search for the title of the worksheet is possible that is numbered according to the two numbers that both list boxes would generate in the cell reference. My other option would be to just have the button direct me to one specific sheet that would either VLookup or HLookup the information from a master sheet and populate just that info the “Information Requested” sheet. I’d prefer each subtopic to be directed to an individual sheet so that I could use formatting and easily update everything. <o></o>
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Do you think this is possible? I’ve also tinkered with the idea of using Access but again, I have very little information for this. I’ve also searched the internet and this site for some templates that I could just tweak to what I want but I haven’t had any luck. I’ve even bought some books but I haven’t had much luck either. Any suggestions that you have would be very much appreciated! I have the .xlsx file that I have started that I’d more than happy to share with anyone would be willing to help. Thanks!<o></o>
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[Norie]

That really does sound like something that Access would be better suited for.

It could be done in Excel but you would probably need quite a lot of code.

If you set things up in Access then you might not need code at all, and if you did need it the code would be pretty straightforward.

Setting things up would be the major effort but once it's done everything should just kind of 'slip' into place.

If you did need to expand in anway then having things set-up properly will make it far easier.

 

[rcook78]

Thanks for the quick reply Norie! So basically, without any prior Access knowledge, you're thinking that this idea that I have is not going to work?

 

[Norie]

Well I don't know what you mean by prior knowledge really.

Access isn't that hard to pick up - just don't jump in at the deep end.

A good place to start might be to not go straight to Access but see if you can find a decent book/website that will explain the fundamentals of databases.

 

[rcook78]

I honestly have no experience using Access other than with databases that people have already created. Therefore, if I could solve this using Excel (so I could easily update it, etc.) that would be my ultimate desire. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

I have screenshots of what I have so far...I'm going to go ahead and post links and hope that it is allowed. The links only go to a website with the .jpg file being shown--nothing else. I scanned the rules and didn't see anything forbidding me to do this...<o></o>

links removed per OP request

I tinkered with trying to have one sheet populate the subtopics based off of the cell reference from the first list box...that seems to work with a lot of coding but can be further worked. It'd be better without though, so that I could add new subtopics and re-alphabetize them without messing up all of my codes. <o></o>

Any suggestions from anyone?

 

[Norie]

You probably could do it with Excel but I really don't think it can be done easily.