Microsoft Excel Help Needed

[WSA]

Not sure if this can be done but I am trying to create an Excel file that can be updated from different remote locations.

There will be one central file and 4 seperate locations that you can access it from provided you have the proper access.

I am trying to put together a sign-up sheet for our Charity Fishing Tournament. Bank of Colorado and Sportsman's Warehouse are both conducting sign-ups for it.

How can I create a file that can be updated without having to utilize an FTP to upload?

[IchBin]

Wouldn't you have update problems with that though? What if any 2 of those locations edits it at the same time?

I think you could do this with some type of CVS site.

[WSA]

Whats a CVS site?

[gerrymo]

Couldnt an excell doc be put in a password protected directory with chmod 777 so one file could be updated from 3 locations? Never tried, it so may be talking complete &$@?#*%.

[StarChip]

Depending on how it is setup all you should need to do is make the folder available to all and save the file after protections are modified. Tools/protections/ check the box for multiple users.

Hope this helps.

[iowamf]

Whats a CVS site?

CVS is a software engineering acronym that works like a library book check-out system (but it's very advanced - multiple engineers can change the contents of the book right down to the chapters, sentences, etc...)

CVS is overkill for your application - but the "libary book" checkout concept IchBin referenced via CVS is valid.

I'd treat the excel sheet challenge like checking out a book in the library - you could probably do it with attachments to posts in a thread and even non-technical people should be able to grasp that they need to be working with the latest version and posting their changes back to the thread.

You could protect the thread (board) using SMF to only those who you allow access.

[technodragon73]

If you are using Microsoft Excel...it gives you an option to create a web page from the spreadsheet...it should also (if i remember correctly) allow you to set permissions on editing.  Then just create a password page so that only people who are allowed can enter and edit it.

[akulion]

what you are saying is possible but u will need an MSAcces front end to allow that online dynamically for which i u will also need a windows server with access running on it which coudl really complicate stuff :p not to mention the time and cost involved in designing the front end of the database in access and html to allow modifications to ur excel file.
thats the "cooler and better way" to do this sorta stuff

A simpler method would be to have excel running on ur server as a server application and allow access to those people who have the password to it

that way they can just access the file directly and modify it - obiviously this will require you to talk to ur host and ask them if its possible for them to install all this stuff on ur server and also do some research into server side applications and accessing them...ur best bet for this would be to go to microsoft.com and check up on their web technologies and if they have a support forum of some sort then contact them and ask for help

My personal recommendation is - save yourself all the hassel and have the members email each other the "updated" file