data from many work books

[S.@discussions.microsoft.com Sandeep S.]

How do I collect data from many workbooks from select columns into a single
workbook automatically. I don't want to open each one manually and copy and
paste from it to the main workbook. The system should ask me for which file
to be opened.

Please can you help.

Thanks and regards,

Sandeep S.

[JLatham]

This can be done with VBA code (a macro). You haven't given enough
information to provide a more detailed answer, but there is one command
available that does allow you to browse and identify files to be worked with
that will probably end up in the code:
Application.GetOpenFilename
will return a filename from a dialog box, and then the code can open that
file and perform operations to copy information from that file into another
workbook.

I've found that an easier way to do this kind of thing with many workbooks
is to copy all of the workbooks into a single folder dedicated for the use,
and have the VBA code go through all files in that folder looking for Excel
files and then opening each one in turn and processing the data as required.

[Gord Dibben]

See Ron de Bruin's site for code.

http://www.rondebruin.nl/copy3.htm

Assumes all workbooks are in a single folder.

Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP