Excel - multiple workbooks, same data to edit

Question

I have 2 workbooks in Excel, each containing a worksheet with a list of board members. I want to be able to link these two lists somehow, such that if I edit the list in one workbook's worksheet (either change, add, or delete something), I'd like it to be changed in the other workbook's worksheet automatically.

Is there a way to do this in Excel?

Answer 1

It isn't very obvious, but it is easy.

(With both workbooks open initially)

1. Select and copy the appropriate range in one workbook
2. Click where you want the data to go in the second workbook
3. Edit > Paste Special > Link (that's the really non-obvious bit)

What happens is that the formulas of the cells in the second workbook end up containing complete qualified paths to the cells in the other worksheet e.g.

='C:\Users\Me\Documents\temp\[Book1.xls]Sheet1'!A1

and when you open that workbook you will be asked if you want to update it from the first one, even if the first isn't currently open.