Excel Automation

I am designing a VB app that will automate (via ADO from a db) an Excel
Spreadsheet which is maintained by my client. This spreadsheet is already
predetermined and the cells where the data goes is already laid out. I want
to give flexibilty to the user by allowing them some functionality to allow
the user to change the spreadsheet without changing my code. I want to keep
all of my code in my app not in Excel. I was playing around with the idea
of using a template file (data, xml...) that will layout where the data goes
to each cell. I have also looked into using named ranges and pivot tables
(this spreadsheet is used for quoting a product and not analyzing data). I
am leaning towards the template file or named ranges because it gives me
flexiblity and it does not require the user to have alot of knowledge of
excel. Any thoughts?

Thanks

Sounds like success depends on the user's ability to indicate to your
application where the data should go.

I guess it then depends on what the user feels most comfortable with and can
understand.

I don't see a pivot table offering much flexibility - but then I don't know
what your sheet looks like or what flexibility you envision.

--
Regards,
Tom Ogilvy


"will" <will@hasenoughspam.com> wrote in message
news:OyKbGwfQGHA.5036@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> I am designing a VB app that will automate (via ADO from a db) an Excel
> Spreadsheet which is maintained by my client. This spreadsheet is already
> predetermined and the cells where the data goes is already laid out. I
want
> to give flexibilty to the user by allowing them some functionality to
allow
> the user to change the spreadsheet without changing my code. I want to
keep
> all of my code in my app not in Excel. I was playing around with the idea
> of using a template file (data, xml...) that will layout where the data
goes
> to each cell. I have also looked into using named ranges and pivot tables
> (this spreadsheet is used for quoting a product and not analyzing data).
I
> am leaning towards the template file or named ranges because it gives me
> flexiblity and it does not require the user to have alot of knowledge of
> excel. Any thoughts?
>
> Thanks
>
>

Tom,

The client has already given me a spreadsheet with the cells set for the
data. I just wanted to design my app to give the user the ability to move
cells around if needed without me recompiling. Also, I hate to hardcode
cell ranges in my code. Do you have any other suggestions to approach this?

Thanks

"Tom Ogilvy" <twogilvy@msn.com> wrote in message
news:OYNcSehQGHA.3896@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> Sounds like success depends on the user's ability to indicate to your
> application where the data should go.
>
> I guess it then depends on what the user feels most comfortable with and
> can
> understand.
>
> I don't see a pivot table offering much flexibility - but then I don't
> know
> what your sheet looks like or what flexibility you envision.
>
> --
> Regards,
> Tom Ogilvy
>
>
> "will" <will@hasenoughspam.com> wrote in message
> news:OyKbGwfQGHA.5036@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
>> I am designing a VB app that will automate (via ADO from a db) an Excel
>> Spreadsheet which is maintained by my client. This spreadsheet is
>> already
>> predetermined and the cells where the data goes is already laid out. I
> want
>> to give flexibilty to the user by allowing them some functionality to
> allow
>> the user to change the spreadsheet without changing my code. I want to
> keep
>> all of my code in my app not in Excel. I was playing around with the
>> idea
>> of using a template file (data, xml...) that will layout where the data
> goes
>> to each cell. I have also looked into using named ranges and pivot
>> tables
>> (this spreadsheet is used for quoting a product and not analyzing data).
> I
>> am leaning towards the template file or named ranges because it gives me
>> flexiblity and it does not require the user to have alot of knowledge of
>> excel. Any thoughts?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
>
>

have them write the list in a hidden sheet and read it from there.

--
Regards,
Tom Ogilvy


"will" <will@hasenoughspam.com> wrote in message
news:ewixxcrQGHA.2276@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Tom,
>
> The client has already given me a spreadsheet with the cells set for the
> data. I just wanted to design my app to give the user the ability to move
> cells around if needed without me recompiling. Also, I hate to hardcode
> cell ranges in my code. Do you have any other suggestions to approach
this?
>
> Thanks
>
> "Tom Ogilvy" <twogilvy@msn.com> wrote in message
> news:OYNcSehQGHA.3896@TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> > Sounds like success depends on the user's ability to indicate to your
> > application where the data should go.
> >
> > I guess it then depends on what the user feels most comfortable with and
> > can
> > understand.
> >
> > I don't see a pivot table offering much flexibility - but then I don't
> > know
> > what your sheet looks like or what flexibility you envision.
> >
> > --
> > Regards,
> > Tom Ogilvy
> >
> >
> > "will" <will@hasenoughspam.com> wrote in message
> > news:OyKbGwfQGHA.5036@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> >> I am designing a VB app that will automate (via ADO from a db) an Excel
> >> Spreadsheet which is maintained by my client. This spreadsheet is
> >> already
> >> predetermined and the cells where the data goes is already laid out. I
> > want
> >> to give flexibilty to the user by allowing them some functionality to
> > allow
> >> the user to change the spreadsheet without changing my code. I want to
> > keep
> >> all of my code in my app not in Excel. I was playing around with the
> >> idea
> >> of using a template file (data, xml...) that will layout where the data
> > goes
> >> to each cell. I have also looked into using named ranges and pivot
> >> tables
> >> (this spreadsheet is used for quoting a product and not analyzing
data).
> > I
> >> am leaning towards the template file or named ranges because it gives
me
> >> flexiblity and it does not require the user to have alot of knowledge
of
> >> excel. Any thoughts?
> >>
> >> Thanks
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
>
>