Pull data from multiple closed workbooks and sheets in excel - arrays

Question

I want to pull data from multiple workbooks and worksheets that are closed.
I'm able to extract the data by using the below formula:
=INDEX('C:\Users\Shubham\Downloads\Ex_Files_Excel_Macros_and_VBA_for_Beginners\Ex_Files_Excel_Macros_and_VBA_for_Beginners\Exercise Files\[03_01 Undo.xlsx]Attendance'!C:C, 6)
but I want to provide the path in a cell using CONCATENATE function let's say in E5 so that value in E5 comes like below:
'C:\Users\Shubham\Downloads\Ex_Files_Excel_Macros_and_VBA_for_Beginners\Ex_Files_Excel_Macros_and_VBA_for_Beginners\Exercise Files\[03_01 Undo.xlsx]Attendance'!C:C
So I want to use the formula like:
= INDEX(E5, 6)
where E5 has the path and range defined but this doesn't take the value in E5 as table array.
I can't use the indirect formula since it doesn't work with closed workbooks. I have tried to understand the VBA code but doesn't work out.
I would really appreciate it if someone can help me out to resolve this issue since I have to extract data from multiple workbooks and multiple sheets and have to use dynamic reference to path and range.

Answer 1

I had the same problem, wanting to extract data from multiple workbooks with a volatile worksheet address. Indirect and Concatenate worked, but only when source files were open. There is no function which would work with closed files.
A macro was the solution, which I found here;
https://www.mrexcel.com/board/threads/vba-to-pull-data-from-dynamically-named-closed-workbooks.984156/
My solution uses a list of the source file name components with a volatile date component (date is the only variable in the source file names) and a volatile worksheet component (I need to take data for a person, where each person's name is the name of a worksheet in each file).
That list looks like this;List of File Names
I and K (Name) are volatile. These are modified in my list by having these cells reference separate input cells to simplify a query. Enter the name and the latest payroll date you want to query. It looks back a set number of cycles.
The formula to get the data I want is =COUNTIF(INDIRECT(CONCATENATE(H4,I4,J4,K4,L4)),"S")
How many times does S appear in range D63:U63 in tab Moe for each file.
The macro solution uses the Date information in column I to open all the source files as follows (I have added comments to hopefully make it clearer what each step does);
Public Sub Macro_Name()
' Opens Timesheets files to allow "Indirect" formula to obtain data
Dim r As Long
' I don't know what this does, but it is necessary
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
' Stops screen updating to speed up operation
Calculate
' Calculates to clear any previous data in the file. File is set to manual calculation.
With ThisWorkbook.ActiveSheet
For r = 4 To .Cells(Rows.Count, "I").End(xlUp).Row
' Starting at row 4, uses data in column I in the command below until the end of the data. You can't have any other data in column I.
Workbooks.Open Filename:="S:\Payroll\Weekly Timesheets " & .Cells(r, "I") & ".xlsm"
' Opens each file called Weekly Timesheets [date].xlsm
Next
Windows("[The name of your working file].xlsm").Activate
Calculate
Range("B2").Select
' This calculates your working file and goes to a convenient "home" cell
End With
Dim wb As Workbook
For Each wb In Application.Workbooks
If Not wb Is ThisWorkbook Then
wb.Close SaveChanges:=False
End If
Next
' This sub routine closes all open Excel files EXCEPT your working file. Best not to have other files open as it is set NOT to save.
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
I found this page to set the file for manual calculation, which I preferred.
https://excel.tips.net/T001988_Forcing_Manual_Calculation_For_a_Workbook.html
I'm not sure if this solution is efficient, and it is not perhaps as elegant as I would like, but it has worked for me. I hope it helps.
Big shoutout to John_w at MrExcel.com who provided the core code above. I just fiddled a few things so it worked for me.