Printing Excel Reports via a Word Document
Using Microsoft Excel & Word
This post will detail the process of establishing a simple database in excel and then linking that to a Standard Report in word and saving the data as a new Word file.
Why use Word?
Some organisations will only accept files in Word format and may have specific formats which are used internationally (International shipping I’m looking at you!)
In these cases although you may be able to setup an Excel file to look exactly like its Word equivalent. But if they wont accept it…
You have to change.
Requirements:
+ A database source in Excel
+ A Word file (to be used as a template, not to be confused with a Word template)
The Process
The process is simply a matter of:
+ Setup a Control sheet
+ Setup a Transfer Sheet
+ Setup a Word template
+ Run the Report
This process will be explained step by step with the help of a worked example: 2007/10 Sample or 1997/03 Sample
This tutorial will only be using the 2007/10 files as examples but feel free to follow along if you are using previous versions.
The 2007/10 Sample has been tested on both Office 2007 & 2010
The 1997/03 Sample has been tested on Office XP (and I make no claim that it will work in prior versions but it might/should)
Open the example workbook (Production records.xlsm from the above links) or your own data file.
Notice that there are 3 worksheets in the workbook:
+ Control: The master sheet which allows selection of your filter or summation criteria and a button to execute a macro
+ Transfer: The transfer sheet, the entry or summation here will be transferred to word
+ Data: The database
Setup a Control Sheet
The control sheet is a simple data validation or selection tool and a button which will run a macro.
It can be as simple or as complex as you need to make it.
Example
In the example above there is simply a Data Validation cell which is linked to a list of shipment numbers and a Button to run the reports VBA subroutine.
You can make yours as simple or as complex as you need to extract the data from your data source.
The Produce Word Report button is linked to the MergeMe VBA subroutine.
Setup a Transfer Sheet
The Transfer sheet requires 2 rows
Row 1: Has a list of field names, These will be used in Word later so use something meaningful.
Row 2: Has a list of the records which will be transferred to Word. The cells will contain sufficient formulas to extract the relevant records from the Data sheet using the Data validation on the Control Sheet.
You need to setup sufficient fields to ensure that all records required in Word are setup or retrieved.
The order of the fields isn’t important as the field names are used for the transfer not the order.
Also you don’t have to use all the fields in Word, but if the Field isn’t made here you can’t retrieve it later.
The format or layout doesn’t matter as this is controlled in Word.
Example
Notice on the Transfer sheet that the Top Row is a list of field names
The second row uses an Index(Match( )) combination to retrieve the relevant records from the Data sheet.
Save the Excel file.
In the sample file I have made a simple retrieval of a matching records and associated fields, but the Transfer sheet could have just as easily sumarised multiple rows of data from your data source.
Setup a Word template
Setup in word a file which will be used as a template for the import.
Leave gaps where your fields values will go.
Save the file
Example
Open the example file (Shipping Template.docx)
If this is the first time you have opened the example file it may prompt you
“Opening this file will run the following SQL File …”
This is ok so accept Yes
You can either accept that and then follow the links to connect the file to the Production records.xlsm file
It will then prompt you for the Data Table which in our case is Transfer$ ie: the Sheet Name with a $ sign at the end
If it didn’t prompt you above or you answered No to the “Opening this file will run the following SQL File …” prompt we will connect again later anyway.
Now setup the file in word with all the text graphics, lines colors etc required for your form/report.
Leave gaps for the fields which we will add next.
Adding fields
Use mail merge to open the data source (Production records.xlsm)
Goto Mailings, Select Recipients, Use Existing List…
Navigate to the Production Records.xlsm file after which it will prompt you for the table which in our case is Transfer$ ie: the Sheet Name with a $ sign at the end (as discussed above)
Move to the 4 missing Field Locations as per the following table and insert the Field Names using the
Mailings, Insert Merge Field tab
Insert Fields as per the following table and highlights above:
| Location | Field Name (from Production Records.xlsm) |
| Shipment No : | Shipment_No |
| Material : | Cargo |
| Tonnes : | Tonnes |
The other fields Destination, Form and Date have already been pre-entered and are shown in Blue
You can format the fields as required, select the entire field and change the font, colors etc to suit.
You can view the field values using the Preview Results Button, see below
Make any other changes to the file
Save the file as a Word File Shipping Template.docx (not as a Word Template *.dotx)
Close Word
Run the Report
In the Production records.xlsm file we will now link the macro to the button on the control sheet
We need to check 3 lines in the macro before we execute it.
Goto VBA using Alt F11
Select the Production Records.xlsm, Modules on the left and find the
Sub MergeMe() Subroutine on the right
Near the top of the subroutine are 2 lines which list both the file which Word will use as a template and what the new file will be saved as after merging.
‘ Setup filenames
Const WTempName = “Shipping Template.docx“ ‘This is the Word Templates name, Change as req’d
Const NewFileName = “New Certificate.docx” ‘This is the New Word Documents File Name, Change as req’d
Change these values as appropriate
The code will overwrite the existing output file if it exists so once executes save it to another name/location.
If you are using your own data file copy this subroutine to your own VBA Module and edit as above.
You can now go back to Excel (Alt F11) and execute the macro using the button on the control page.
You should now have a new file called New Certificate.docx in the same directory as the Sample files.
Future Extensions
The above macro which does this transfer is a simple and easily scalable to 50+ fields without any modification.
Future enhancements would be:
+ Sourcing the New Word File name from the Control sheet
+ Incremental numbering of the word document each time the transfer is done
+ Numbering of the word document based on a Field value each time the transfer is done
+ Export of Multiple records at one time
+ Conditional formatting in Word based on field values
+ Improved error checking
If you are interested I encourage you to modify and post these enhancements here for all to benefit.
Macro
You can copy the Macro into any Excel file and save it as an *.xlsm file and link it to a Button and be up and running in minutes
The macro has a very small number of changes that need making internally to work anywhere.
What have been your Excel to Word transfer experiences ?
What have been your Excel to Word transfer experiences, let us know in the comments below:
What do you think of this approach to data transfer ?
28 Responses to “2010 Calendar – Excel Template [Downloads]”
[...] Download and print the calendars today. You can add notes to individual dates or complete … [...] Uni Ego / Free 2010 Calendar – Download and Print Year 2010 Calendar today [...]
Any chance on a 2016 calendar?
Afternoon,
I have one similar calander that I added conditional formatting to so that I could highlight any planned factory holidays. I think i "borrowed" the formula from another calander so I won't post it here.
I also added week numbers to it using the formula =WEEKNUM(MAX(C6:I6)) Where C6:I6 is the range of dates in that give week. It works fine on most of the months but return strange values on other months (Week 6 in October?) I can't see any logic behind why it does this.
Any suggestions for an alternative formula to give the week numbers?
Regards,
William
Hi Chandoo,
I've added a new feature on your spreadsheet.
This control can be useful for all the sheets where you need to check dates.
Cheers
http://cid-69a78592a23a8438.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/2010-calendar%5E_Miguel.xls
Hi Chandoo,
Nice calendar.
Till now whichever calendar I saw in Excel, it contained only the outline sheet.
Good to see monthly views and the mini view too.
Liked the mini view much. 🙂
-Nimesh
@William: This weeknum may be because the input dates to max are not properly formatting as excel dates.
Good tip on the conditional formatting and holidays btw...
@Migueal: Now that is super awesome. This is the reason why I love to blog. Readers will always one up me with such cool alternatives. Thank you for sharing this with us.
@Nimesh: You are welcome 🙂
is it possible to get the Notes section on the outline page to display the notes added to the month page for a specific date?
So if you add thing for January 2nd, and then select January 2nd those notes appear on the outline page
@Shish... You can do that using some formula magic. I would not recommend pushing excel to that as outlook / google calendar / icalc etc. do exactly that much more elegantly.
[...] Perpetual Excel Calendar – Free Downloadable Template [...]
Happy christmas to all of you!
This is really awesome. The nicest calender I've seen for Excel. I also like Miguels version of the sheet.
Just one "feature" is missing to me. As I live in Germany - where weeks start on Monday - I'd like to change this. Could someone please give me a hint how to do this?
Thanks in advance
Jörg
Hi Chandoo, I’ve added some new features on your spreadsheet with your permission.
Check it here:
http://cid-6b219f16da7128e3.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/Calendar%5E_Pedro.xlsm
Miguel, this calendar is translated to Spanish language.
Jörg, this new approach allows us to start weeks on Monday.
Also it's possible to start weeks on Sunday if you enable Excel macros and push the arrows.
Best Regards,
Pedro.
@Pedro.. superb stuff.. thanks for sharing the file with all of us.
Hi Chandoo, for dates before March 1, 1900 our calendars are wrong.
In Microsoft Excel, DATE, EOMONTH, WEEKDAY functions return an incorrect result between Monday, January 1, 1900 and Wednesday, February 28, 1900.
See this page: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/214326/en-us/
Microsoft Excel incorrectly assumes that the year 1900 is a leap year in all Excel versions.
That's the reason why our calendar versions only work from March, 1, 1900 until December, 31, 9999.
Your comments are welcome.
Pedro.
@Pedro.. Thanks for pointing that out. wow... This reminds me of the Joel Spolsky's first BillG review - http://www.joelonsoftware.com/items/2006/06/16.html (read it, I am sure you would love it.) when Bill out of blue asks about date time implementations for VBA (which Joel is the program manager for...)
Thanks for sharing the URL too... Here is a specially made, chocolate sprinkled, extra fluffy donut for you 🙂
Hi Chandoo, thanks a lot for the donut but I prefer it without chocolate!
Always it's good to know a little history of Excel.
The Joel Spolsky’s last BillG Excel review was about the "Hall of Tortured Souls"
(See this Excel 95 Easter Egg here: http://www.eeggs.com/items/719.html)
Do not miss the humor!
@Chandoo.. I just return with a new calendar version.
http://cid-6b219f16da7128e3.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/calendar-pedrowave.xltx
It helped me to practice conditional formatting, formulas to show check boxes, data validation drop down list, find out Thanksgiving Day's date for any year, how to find dates of public holidays using Excel, all reading your wonderful posts!
Perpetual Calendar Spanish version starting weeks on Monday:
http://cid-6b219f16da7128e3.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/calendario-pedrowave.xltx
Main characteristics:
- Not macros.
- Select a year from 1900 to 9999 with a dropdown listbox.
- All date fields with the real date format.
- Easy language change of day of the week and month names because are also dates.
- Hide Saturdays and/or Sundays.
- Week starting on Sunday or Monday.
- Week and month numbers.
- Hyperlink between sheets.
- Consistent colors to Holidays, Diary and Events dates.
- Easy change of Holidays by country.
- Include 80 World Days and you can add more.
- A diary with my birthday and 50 more programable appointments.
- Check box to hide individual dates or all.
- Holidays, diary and events text are showed on each month's sheet.
- Ranges defined with Name Manager variables.
I'll appreciate if you make me some suggestions to improve this calendar.
Pedro.
Please, I need help!
I like all calendar from Pedro, thank you for them. Let me show my problem:
I have 2 excel cells (for example AE12 and AE13) which mean the starting and the ending date of my duty. I need a macro to insert sheets with label YEAR. MONTH (for example 2010. August or similar) with the proper datas between the two dates. Is it possible?
Thank you for reading me and sorry about my terribel english! 🙂
Hello Pedro,
Thanks so much for the modified calendar template. I love the extra functionality you added. Is there any way you could upload an unlocked version? I wanted to change some of the comments and data validation so I could use it for one of my applications.
As for feedback on potential improvements, with all the additions you made the file runs pretty slow. I'm sure this has to do with all the interconnectivity between the various tabs, but if there is a way to use less memory via more efficient formulas or something else I think this would make it easier to use. I have a brand new computer and with it running alone the response was pretty slow. One of the changes I'm making is changing the order of the months to match my company's fiscal year, so maybe something to automate a change like that could be useful.
Cheers,
Peter
Peter, my calendars are unlocked but you need Excel 2007 and 2010 versions to open them.
Now I return with a new Programmable Task Calendar:
http://cid-6b219f16da7128e3.office.live.com/view.aspx/.Public/Calendario%20de%20Tareas.xlsx
Wath an introductory video here:
http://pedrowave.blogspot.com/2010/10/programmable-task-calendar.html
This new calendar allows to select the start month to match the school and fiscal year.
This is great stuff Chandoo and company
Wanted to know if someone had built something similar
I need to store one Excel Sheet on this calendar that has all the holidays
US Holidays appear in RED
UK Holidays appear in Blue
Meetings appear in Green
Submissions appear in Orange
Is there a way I can store the list in a separate worksheet and all the calendars get updated with this?
Thanks
[...] Calendars: Year 2010 Excel Calendar | Year 2009 Excel [...]
please tell me "how to convert Rs.10000/- in to words through excel formula
[...] is all! http://chandoo.org/wp/2009/12/11/2010-calendar-excel-template-downloads/ See more Templates at http://www.vertex42.com/ Share this:Like this:LikeBe the first to like this [...]
Greetings,
Thanks for this wonderful excel vacation tracker. I notice that the tracker only has three months November, December and January 2015, however, I would like to add the other ten months for 2014. Can you please instruct me on how I can add the other months?
Thanking you in advance.
Hi Chandoo,
Calendar: can this be printed as single sheet 8.5x11 inch per month
kanu
@Kanu
Yes,
You can resize it to fit
WOW! I just searching some of like this, that help me.
Thank you for sharing.