Distribution Question? Not sure of the terminology for what I am trying to accomplish

[R_Scott]

Excel for Mac 2011 - I have already posted this to the MAC board, but wanted to post here also in case the PC community can help me with the terminology of what I am trying to accomplish so that I can ask the right question(s).

Im new to Excel so Im not sure of the lingo to ask about what I am trying to accomplish. Our CFO mentioned "distribution," not sure if that is the term or not.

I know there is a way to send a worksheet to somebody and have them fill it out at their workstation, and theirs will link to another workbook or worksheet (for example on my machine) that updates with the information they enter.

I manage a team of graphic designers and I would like them to enter their data, that compiles on a workbook that I have. So far, I have had to enter all of their data myself.

Am I making any sense?

Thanks,
Rik

[mcmahobt]

If you have a shared network within your business, you can use a single master file that pulls data from other individual files within the network. Otherwise, you could use a google doc which is free and already on a "network" as long as you have internet access.

[FDibbins]

Another option would be to give each member their own file (on the network), an dthen have your own file that links to all of theirs. How you set those links up, will depend on what data you are pulling in, and what you want to do with it.

If you need further assistance, can you upload a small sample of what you have, and what you want? You could put the "master" on 1 sheet, and the "team" sheet/s on another/s sheet/s (just for this sample, of course)

[R_Scott]

Thank you. That might help to know.
I know we have a shared network. So if I put the sheets I want data from on the network, do I need to have my "master" sheet on the network too? Or can I link it to the sheets on the network and leave it on my machine? As a manager, I don't necessarily want each employee seeing the others data.

[mcmahobt]

You can leave your master sheet off the network and just link to each sheet individually when needed. The main problem that occurs with this, however, is a change in a linked file location, or data structure. You'll need to make sure things stay consistent.