I print a set of forms monthly for hand completion by about 40 building sites. Each form is identical but for Site names and codes and foreman names, which can require editing each month; and the week-ending date for which the from will be used. Forms are printed monthly, either four or five week’s worth, meaning a workbook with four or five sheets, depending on how many weeks are in that reporting month. This there can be 200 forms per month to be printed and sent out.

Previously, each sheet within each workbook was revised manually, and printed by manual instruction.

I now update any site information via a separate single data entry file; likewise the date, which I carry though to subsequent weeks’ sheets using “date + 7”.

I still have a number of areas where it can be improved:

1) If I insert a line into my data entry file then it displaces those below it so that the cell reference used in a given form becomes incorrect.

2) I haven’t been able to print all thirty workbooks automatically, because Excel’s default print setting is “Print Active Sheets” rather than “Print Entire Workbook”. So, I can highlight the required files from the File Directory but when I do, only the first sheet in the workbook for each file gets printed.

My aim is to make all monthly revisions by means of a single data entry file, and to automate printing of all workbooks together. There are other forms we print for monthly hand-completion that could benefit in the same way. 

​I print a set of forms monthly for hand completion by about 40 building sites. Each form is identical but for Site names and codes and foreman names, which can require editing each month; and the week-ending date for which the from will be used. Forms are printed monthly, either four or five week’s worth, meaning a workbook with four or five sheets, depending on how many weeks are in that reporting month. This there can be 200 forms per month to be printed and sent out. Previously, each sheet within each workbook was revised manually, and printed by manual instruction. I now update any site information via a separate single data entry file; likewise the date, which I carry though to subsequent weeks’ sheets using “date + 7”. I still have a number of areas where it can be improved: 1) If I insert a line into my data entry file then it displaces those below it so that the cell reference used in a given form becomes incorrect. 2) I haven’t been able to print all thirty workbooks automatically, because Excel’s default print setting is “Print Active Sheets” rather than “Print Entire Workbook”. So, I can highlight the required files from the File Directory but when I do, only the first sheet in the workbook for each file gets printed. My aim is to make all monthly revisions by means of a single data entry file, and to automate printing of all workbooks together. There are other forms we print for monthly hand-completion that could benefit in the same way.     Read More

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