Looking for a "Simple" EXCEL Solution

  • Thread starter Thread starter Duane S. Meyer
  • Start date Start date
D

Duane S. Meyer

Looking for the Excel Master;

I am using Excel 2002.

I have discovered that I am a REALLY REALLY NOVICE Excel USER. In my
mind I was pretty smug about the "simplicity" of formulae in a cell
until I began to develop some tools as a consultant to a client who is
helping me get through a rough period of unemployment.

I have to admit that I don't even know some of the shortcuts to avoid
going to the dropdown menus for so many of my tasks.

Now, here's my Question with a hopefully "Simple" Solution.

I have created a Workbook with each sheet representing a progressive
process of performing a moving estimate in the home of a client.

There are eight (8) sheets with only a single "page" to each sheet
except one which
is two "pages"/screens.

The client's employee who does the in-home estimating would prefer to
use the TAB Key to move about the "page" and, more specifically, move
from one "entry field" to the next.

Now, due to the difference in the information gathered from one sheet
to the next, they are all formatted quite differently and any one line
of entry information is followed by either empty rows for spacing or
text rows for information before you get to the next entry field.
There are a few instances where the entry fields go across the screen
or row before dropping down to a lower row.

What I am afraid of is that each page would require its own VBA Macro
linked to the TAB Key to accomplish this and that is way beyond me for
the moment since this client has a number of other tasks they are
anxious for me to move on to.

Is there a simple way to "link" one entry field to the next entry
field with the use of the TAB Key? It's these little requests that
keep a client happy.

Right now, the estimator has to enter the information via a keyboard
on a laptop or write it down and do it via a keyboard at home. In the
future, when we feel that PC Tablets are perfected, the entire process
will be a touch- screen operation on a PC Tablet.

I do hope you have a moment to give this some thought and reply to my
inquiry.

Thanking you in Advance,

Duane S. Meyer
(e-mail address removed)
 
Try this on a example workbook

Uncheck the locked property of all cells you want to use first
Select the cells
Ctrl-1
On the Protection tab uncheck locked
Paste this event in the thisworkbook module
and save the file and close it.

When you open the file you only can select unlocked cells
in each sheet.

Private Sub Workbook_Open()
Dim Sh As Worksheet
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
For Each Sh In ThisWorkbook.Worksheets
Sh.Select
Sh.Protect userinterfaceonly:=True
Sh.EnableSelection = xlUnlockedCells
Next
Sheets(1).Select
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
 
AFAIK, you don't need any programming for this, you just need to unlock the
entry cells (under Format, Cells, Protection tab, uncheck the 'locked' box)
and then protect the sheet (Tools, Protection, Protect Sheet) and the tab
key will then move the selection from unlocked cell to unlocked cell, top to
bottom, left to right. For your two page sheet, just make sure that either
the second page is below the first one, or that it doesn't matter if the
entry fields are reached out of order.
 
Hey, Ron;

Thank you for your time and input. I have received a couple of
responses, all of which were relatively easy. I am thankful that the
solution is as simple as it really is. If only all of my Excel
challenges were this easy.

Duane.

******************************************************************************
 
Hey, Mike;

Thank you for your time and input. I have received a couple of
responses, all of which were relatively easy but, yours was the
easiest.

I just had not gotten to the finished product to do the final lock to
the sheets AND the workbook. But, I'm certain that I might have ONLY
discovered this BY ACCIDENT.

Your input took a lot of unnecessary concern out of my way.

I am thankful that the solution is as simple as it really is. If only
all of my Excel challenges were this easy.

Thank you, AGAIN,
Duane.

******************************************************************************
 
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