CST04101 BASIC COMPUTER

APPLICATIONS

Microsoft Office

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
A 1
Microsoft Office

In this section you will learn:

ü Meaning of data linking in excel
ü How to create links between worksheets
ü How to links between workbooks

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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UNDERSTANDING DATA LINKING
DATA LINKING
n The process of displaying or using data that resides in another cell,
perhaps even in another workbook, is known as data linking.
n Excel enables you to link the data in your worksheet with data in other
sheets, other workbooks and even other applications.
n Links between worksheets and workbooks can be created in Excel by
including workbook and worksheet names, as well as the cell reference,
within a formula.
n An internal link refers to one within the same file, while an external
link refers to a link with another file. The cells referenced by a link are
known as the source data. When source data changes, the linked
cells will also change.

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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UNDERSTANDING DATA LINKING
The Advantages of Linking Data in Excel
linking data from one worksheet to another worksheet ensures that the
core data is entered or calculated only once and then shared with other
files
you can develop a large system using smaller, more manageable
worksheets and workbooks
linked workbooks do not all need to be open for the links to be
updated, freeing memory for other activities
separate modules can be created and managed by different people

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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UNDERSTANDING DATA LINKING
The Syntax of a Link
n A typical link has the following structure:
=drive:\path\[filename]worksheet name!cell_reference
n The full path name is only displayed when the source file is not
opened.

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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UNDERSTANDING DATA LINKING
Sample of Internal and External Links:

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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LINKING BETWEEN WORKSHEETS
n You can link cells between worksheets in a workbook by preceding
the source cell reference in the formula with the sheet name,
followed by an exclamation mark.
n For example, if you want to work with cell B6 in the Accounts sheet,
your reference to the cell would be Accounts!B6.
n A common use for this technique is to create a summary sheet of other
sheets in a workbook.

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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LINKING BETWEEN WORKSHEETS
n Try This Yourself:
n Examine the workbook E837 linking.xls

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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LINKING BETWEEN WORKSHEETS
1. This worksheet “E837 linking.xls” contains data for three years on
separate worksheets and a summary page at the front...
2. Click on cell B6 and type =
3. Click on the worksheet tab for Year2009 and click on F6

4. Press enter to complete the formula

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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LINKING BETWEEN WORKSHEETS
Let’s try another technique...
n Click on B8, type =Year2008!E4 and press enter
c

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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LINKING BETWEEN WORKSHEETS
You can add multiple references with a plus sign...
n Click on B13 and use the technique learned in previously to build the
formula: =Year2008!F4+Year2009!F4+ Year2010!F4

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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LINKING BETWEEN WORKBOOKS
n Linking between workbooks involves the same basic steps as
linking between worksheets within a workbook.
n In addition, the linking formula must be very specific so that Excel can
find the file that you want to link to.
n If the workbook resides in another folder, the formula must include
the full path to the workbook file.
n Workbook names need to be enclosed in square brackets.

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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LINKING BETWEEN WORKBOOKS
n Try This Yourself:
n Continue using E837 linking.xlsx file with this exercise.
n Press + to create a new workbook.
n Enter the headings as shown, then click on A5 and type =

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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LINKING BETWEEN WORKBOOKS
n Click on the View tab of the Ribbon, click on Switch Windows and
select 2 E837 linking.xlsx

n Click on the Year2010 worksheet tab and click on B8

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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LINKING BETWEEN WORKBOOKS
To link between workbooks:
1. Type as much of the formula as is required before the linked cell
reference
2. Switch to the other workbook and click on the cell(s)
3. Press ENTER or continue with the formula

Handy to Know…
n Links to cells in other workbooks are automatically absolute (i.e.
displayed with $ signs).
n This means that if you copy the formula, the column and row
references will remain unchanged.
n You must remove the dollar signs first if you want to fill the formula to
other cells.
BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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Saving worksheet
n When working in Excel it is necessary to save your files.
n It is also very important that while working, your file is
saved frequently.
n When naming a file, you are restricted to 255 characters.
n Avoid most punctuation; spaces are acceptable.
n To Save the File:
1) Click on the File tab
2) Click Save
3) Choose the destination
4) Type a file name
5) Click Save

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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n THANK YOU

BASIC COMPUTER APPLICATION – BCCS 2024/2025 Institute of Finance management Mr. Riziki,
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