Find links in a workbook

Microsoft Office Excel 2003

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Find links in a workbook

There is no automatic way to find links used in a workbook. However, because links use brackets [ ] to enclose the source workbook name when it is closed, you can search for it. For example =SUM([Budget.xls]Annual!C10:C25).

  1. Close all workbooks except the one you want to find the links in.
  2. On the Edit menu, click Find.
  3. Click Options.
  4. In the Find what box, enter [.
  5. In the Within box, click Workbook.
  6. In the Look In box, click Formulas.
  7. Click Find All.
  8. In the box at the bottom, look in the Formula column for formulas that contain [.
  9. To select the cell with a link, select the row in the box at the bottom.
  10. Links are also commonly used in names, text boxes, or chart titles.

    ShowFind links used in names

    1. On the Insert menu, point to Name, and then click Define.
    2. Select each entry in the Names in workbook list, and look in the Refers to box for links. Links contain a reference to another workbook, such as [Budget.xls].

    ShowFind links used in text boxes or chart titles

    1. Click the text box or chart title you want to check.
    2. In the formula bar Formula bar, look for a reference to another workbook, such as [Budget.xls].

    ShowFind links used in other objects

    1. On the Edit menu, click Go To, and then click Special.
    2. Click Objects, and then click OK.
    3. Press TAB, and then look in the formula bar Formula bar for a reference to another workbook, such as [Budget.xls]. The name of the object appears in the Name box.
    4. Repeat the previous step until each object is checked.

    ShowFind links used in chart data series

    1. Select the data series you want to check.
    2. In the formula bar Formula bar, look for a reference to another workbook, such as [Budget.xls].
    3. To proceed to the next data series, press TAB.
    4. Repeat the previous two steps until each data series is checked.