Visual Cash Focus - User Tip 42 Linking to Excel How to link Drivers and accounts to an Excel spreadsheet The Scenario This user tip describes how to create a link to an Excel spread sheet. A business has several locations and manager responsibilities and is maintaining a rolling forecast. As an alternative to providing direct access to Cash Focus, spread sheet templates can be created and linked so that as the templates are updated Cash Focus can be updated. Excel links can be created for any number of revenue, expense, balance sheet or driver accounts. Other reasons why links may be created include keeping detailed or sensitive calculations like payroll outside of Cash Focus. Cash Focus can link to multiple spread sheets although this is limited to one at a time. Tip - If possible create all links in the Driver area. The reason for this is so that the items can be shared in the calculation of any revenue and expense accounts and minimizes the number of links. All Drivers can be included in Actual to Budget reporting. Tip Only link 12 months data at a time. Use the Excel transpose function to link 12 periods at a time. Suggested Solution To create links to an existing spread sheet go to Defaults and the Excel/Graph tab. Click the location button and navigate to the spread sheet. If updating the model with Actuals, click the Actual Rows at start option. As the model is rolled Cash Focus will then ignore the rolled period links (since these are now actual periods)
1. Creating a Link to Excel Select a Profit & Loss revenue, expense or Driver account Click the Budget per Period tab and Click the GO To A/C Excel link button. Note Cash Focus will either open the spread sheet specified under Defaults or if none is specified create a new one. The new link is created in the first available space on the first work sheet tab. Once created Cut the link and paste it to a preferred position. Tip - Create a new worksheet tab for the VCF links, move it to the fronted the spread sheet. Later move it to a preferred location. Cut and paste similar links across the page. How to populate the link Note that the dates B column are for the users benefit. Cash Focus does not use this data. Cash Focus counts the periods below the Named Cell reference. 1. Manual linking Click into the first Named Cell and type = and then click on the first periods data and click Enter
Repeat for each period When complete close the spread sheet and click GET DATA.
2. Transposing budget data This tip describes a method for capturing multiple periods of data. This method uses an Excel Transpose Array. Data/formulas that are normally presented across the page can be transposed into a single column going down the page. Tip - Only create links using the transpose function for 12 periods at a time. This is because a transpose array cannot be edited or partially deleted. Later as part of the year end rollover process the prior year s links need to be deleted. 1. Drag the mouse down over the named cell area where you want the data to go to.
Before moving the mouse type =transpose( 2. Now click to the data - Drag the mouse over the data source take note of the number of columns, it must match the number of rows of the link. Keep the link to 12 periods only. 3. Before moving the mouse, type Control/Shift/Enter. This captures the data, enters the closing bracket and completes the transpose array. Note - If the ranges are not equal a #N/A will appear and VCF will not import it 6. Now close the spreadsheet and click "Get Data"
If multiple links are created they can all be updated simultaneously as follows 1. Click File, Export/Import, Universal from Spread sheets
2. Click the Excel update button If there are any broken links or errors these will be reported.