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General discussion

Excel and Word integrated

Nov 19, 2003 12:19AM PST

We need a tool that will combine Excel files and Word files into one document. We currently use Adobe Acrobat, but it is time consuming and has limitations. We compile hundreds of documents into one and page number the docs. We need a tool that will do this for us.
Is there such a thing? MS Binder used to do this. But it no longer available and doesn't work with XP.

Discussion is locked

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Re:Excel and Word integrated. Isn't it already?
Nov 19, 2003 12:44AM PST

For years I could insert an Excel sheet into my document.

In the end I would have a finished document with Excel driven data in the document. A final print to a PDF would lock the report into one piece to be distributed.

"We compile hundreds of documents into one and page number the docs. We need a tool that will do this for us.
Is there such a thing?"

Have you considered getting a programmer on staff to develop your application to automate this?

Bob

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Re:Re:Excel and Word integrated. Isn't it already?
Nov 19, 2003 12:54AM PST

We really need a better way of collecting and combining the various files. Imagine 100 Excel files, ranging from 2 to 10 worksheets, and 20 Word files. Now, imagine printing all those to a PDF file, page numbering and linking throughout the PDF file.
We have to have a hard copy along with the electronic version.
That's what we do. There has to be a better way.

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Exactly what a programmer could help you with.
Nov 19, 2003 1:21AM PST

Not every tool exists for every need. If you have just one document to build, you do it and move on. But a few companies have data flying in from multiple sources and will write a custom program to pull it all together into a "report."

If you need the final output to be in PDF, then Adobe has programming "hooks" to help do that linking.

What you have to do is the accounting end of the decision. Will a tool ease this and payback on the bottom line?

Bob

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Re:Excel and Word integrated
Nov 20, 2003 7:57PM PST

That's one of the many things M$ created VB for....

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Excel format converted to word document
Mar 24, 2007 2:42PM PDT

I have been using Excel for many years in legal research. I just picked up a client who wants deed transfer transactions printed in the local newspaper. I tried the Word Table to collect the data and then convert to Text which is what the paper wants. However it is much slower in Word than with Excel where I could have the same builder and subdivision in a cell that I did not have to retype. I have to go through about 3,000 deed book docs to get this info and collecting in Word is tedious. I would like to go back to Excel and then convert to Word. Example:
Acme Builders to John Doe $126,000 Lot 3 Clearview Heights Subd
Acme Builders to Mary Smith $53,000 Lot 2 Clearview Heights Subd

Excel would complete the builder, put "$" sign in front of amount and complete "Clearview Heights subd". Got any suggestions other than a programer????

Tks from a newby on this site

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It's not very clear to me ...
Mar 25, 2007 5:10AM PDT

but I can imagine it's tedious indeed. Making structured data from unstructured data always is. The more structure, the easier it is to do with macro's (in Word), formulas and macro's (in Excel) or any other tool. And, of course, the easier it is for a programmer who can write code in VBA (in Word and Excel).

It all amounts to time and money. Find somebody to do it manually in 200 hours at $7,50 an hour. That's $1500. Find a programmer willing to do it for $1400? Take it into consideration, but only pay when he's ready. Find a programmer willing to do it for $2500. Don't do it than, unless it has to be ready within a shorter time span than 5 weeks.

Kees