Working with Multiple Workbooks cont.

Navigating in Multiple Workbooks

Sometimes you need to transfer data from one workbook to another, perhaps as a way to consolidate information about one client or product. In order to do this efficiently, you must open and view multiple workbooks.

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Opening Multiple Workbooks

You may open as many workbooks as you want, but having too many workbooks open at the same time can slow down your system or cause your computer to lock-up. Therefore, you should only open the workbooks you need and close those with which you have finished working.

Method

To open multiple workbooks:

1. Click on the File Button on your top left hand corner.
2. In the Open dialog box, select the workbook you want to open.
3. Choose Open.
4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 until all needed workbooks are open.

Exercise

In the following exercise, you will open multiple workbooks.

1. On the File Button. [The Open dialog box appears].
2. In the Look in drop-down list box, make sure the Data folder appears.
3. In the file list box, select the Advertising workbook.
4. Choose Open. [The Advertising workbook opens].

Selecting and Viewing Multiple Workbooks

When you open a workbook, it appears on the screen in its default size, usually maximized. In most cases, this will cover any other open workbooks on the system. This doesn't mean the other workbooks aren't there. You just can’t see them. You can easily change your view of one workbook to another. You can also view more than one workbook on the screen, using the Arrange command on the Window group.

Method

To select multiple workbooks:

1. From the Window group, select the file name of the workbook you want to view.

To view multiple workbooks:

1. From the Window group, choose Arrange.
2. In the Arrange Window dialog box, in the Arrange area, select the desired option.
3. If necessary, deselect the Windows of active workbook check box.
4. Choose OK.

Exercise

In the following exercise, you will select and view multiple workbooks.

1. From the Window group, choose Latham College from the Switch Windows option. [The Latham College workbook is now active].
2. From the Window group, choose Arrange. [The Arrange Windows dialog box appears].
3. In the Arrange area, make sure the Tiled option button is selected.
4. Choose OK. [The two workbook windows are tiled side by side].

Creating and Opening a Workspace

You use a workspace when you need to save a configuration of open workbooks on your system. In other words, let's say you've opened two or three workbooks, have arranged them satisfactorily, and then discover that you’re out of time. Instead of repeating all the arranging the next time you start Excel, you simply save the arrangement as a workspace. The workspace file you create provides instructions to Excel about arranging and opening workbooks; however, it does not contain the workbooks themselves. When you open the workspace file, the actual workbooks appear. Because the workspace file contains pointers to the workbook locations, it's important not to move the workbooks that are part of the workspace into new folders, unless you move them from within the workspace itself (i.e., by using the Save As command).

Method

To create a workspace:

1. Arrange all open workbooks as desired.
2. From the View tab, choose Save Workspace.
3. In the Save Workspace dialog box, from the Save in drop-down list, select a folder in which to store the workspace.
4. In the File name drop-down combo box, type a name for the workspace.
5. Choose Save.

To open a workspace:

1. On the File Button, click the Open button.
2. In the Open dialog box, select the file name of the workspace.
3. Choose Open.

Exercise

In the following exercise, you will select and view multiple workbooks.

1. Make sure the Latham College and Advertising workbooks are both open and tiled side by side.
2. From the View tab, in the Window group, choose Save Workspace. [The Save Workspace dialog box appears].
3. In the Save in drop-down list box, make sure the Data folder is selected.
4. In the File name drop-down combo box, type Latham.
5. Choose Save. [The Latham workspace is created. A message box appears asking you if you want to save the Latham College workbook].
6. Choose OK.
7. Select the Advertising workbook window.
8. Maximize and then close the Advertising workbook window. [The Latham College workbook is active].
9. Close the Latham College workbook. [There are no open workbooks].
10. On the File Button menu, click the Open button. [The Open dialog box appears].
11. In the file list box, select Latham.
12. Choose Open. [The workspace opens, with the Latham College and Advertising workbooks tiled side by side].