XL:Template Wizard May Update Database File With Blank Record

• Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, if you use the Template Wizard to add information from an existing Microsoft Excel workbook to a database, a blank record (or partially blank record) may be added to the database. Also, Microsoft Excel provides no warning that a blank or incomplete record was added to the database.

CAUSE

You may discover empty or incomplete records in your database if both of the following conditions exist:

• You are using the Template Wizard to add information from an existing Microsoft Excel workbook to your database.

      -and-
  

• The workbook you are using to add information to the database is not arranged exactly the same as the template file that is linked to the database.

RESOLUTION

In order for your database file to be updated correctly, make sure that any workbook you use to add information to a database is arranged exactly the same as the template file that is linked to the database.

MORE INFORMATION

To use the Template Wizard, you need to do all of the following:

• Create a workbook that contains the layout for the data.
• Define a template based on the layout in the workbook.
• Create or use an associated database.
• Decide whether to consolidate existing data from separate workbooks.
• Save the template and the database.

You can merge data from other workbooks either when you create the template or after you create the template. If you want to merge data from a Microsoft Excel workbook, but you are unsure of which cells in the template file are linked to the database, follow these steps:

1. Open the template file created by the Template Wizard that is linked to the database.

2. On the Data menu, click Template Wizard.

3. In the Template Wizard, step 1 of 5, click Next.

4. In the Template Wizard, step 2 of 5, click Next.

5. In the Template Wizard, step 3 of 5, you will see a listing of all the cell references (sheet name as well as cell address) that are linked to the database.

6. Click Cancel to close the Template Wizard without any changes.

If your workbook does not contain a worksheet that is named the same as that listed in the Template Wizard, step 3 of 5, you may receive the following error message:

   Unable to find data in workbook <file name>

For additional information on using the Template Wizard, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q148314
   TITLE     : XL: How to Use the Template Wizard with Data Tracking
               Add-In

REFERENCES

"Getting Results with Microsoft Excel for Windows 95," pages 67-72

For more information about the Template Wizard, click the Index tab in Microsoft Excel Help, type the following text

   template