How does Excel 2000 store link values?

floored

New Member
Joined
Jun 26, 2002
Messages
16
My co-worker and I were working on two different versions of the same file . Each had a different name -- let's call them file A (mine) & file B (his). Both versions pointed to a third file (file C) on our server using links.

File A was saved locally to my desktop and was open in Excel.

My coworker made changes to file C , which updated the related values on file B.

My co-worker saved file B to the server with these changes and closed the file.

I then opened file B in Excel without updating the links (and I did not open file C). Whenever my formulas in file A linked to the same place on file C as the links in file B, the cell in file A adopted the value that file B was displaying.

Our working theory is that Excel stores link values as a variable in the personal workbook rather than the workbook you are in. Since file B brought in a newer value for the variable, it automatically adopted the new value for file A.

Does this jive with anyone's knowledge of how Excel works? We're trying to figure out how it happened so we avoid the situation in the future.
 

Excel Facts

Select all contiguous cells
Pressing Ctrl+* (asterisk) will select the "current region" - all contiguous cells in all directions.
1. forget the personal workbook theory, not everyone uses one. All workbooks - including those with links (which are stored internally) - are standalone.

2. I avoid such problems by either using files directly from the server or maintaining duplicate copies on my local hard drive and updating them before opening.
 
Upvote 0

Forum statistics

Threads
1,213,487
Messages
6,113,941
Members
448,534
Latest member
benefuexx

We've detected that you are using an adblocker.

We have a great community of people providing Excel help here, but the hosting costs are enormous. You can help keep this site running by allowing ads on MrExcel.com.
Allow Ads at MrExcel

Which adblocker are you using?

Disable AdBlock

Follow these easy steps to disable AdBlock

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the "Pause on this site" option.
Go back

Disable AdBlock Plus

Follow these easy steps to disable AdBlock Plus

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the toggle to disable it for "mrexcel.com".
Go back

Disable uBlock Origin

Follow these easy steps to disable uBlock Origin

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the "Power" button.
3)Click on the "Refresh" button.
Go back

Disable uBlock

Follow these easy steps to disable uBlock

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the "Power" button.
3)Click on the "Refresh" button.
Go back
Back
Top