How to obtain the data from cell from 500 .xls Excel files?

Question

I'd like to ask you how can I get the data from few determined (and always same) cells from many Excel .xls files, I.e. I have a list of .xls files in one folder, and each file has the same table inside, but with the different values. I would like to obtain the data from A1, C2, E3 from all files in folder and put them together into a new table in the new Excel file.

Is there a way how to do it, please? :) Thanks! ;)

Answer 1

I retrieve external data as follows:

Create a worksheet called "x" that specifies the following info for each item of data I want to get:

So I have the folder name, the file name, the worksheet name, and the cell reference for the items in columns A, B, C, D

Then run the following macro:

Sub GetExternalData()

    Dim wbPath As String, WorkbookName As String
    Dim WorksheetName As String, CellRef As String
    Dim Ret As String, i As Long, N As Long

    For i = 1 To Sheets("x").Cells(Rows.Count, 1).End(xlUp).Row

        wbPath = Sheets("x").Cells(i, 1).Value
        WorkbookName = Sheets("x").Cells(i, 2).Value
        WorksheetName = Sheets("x").Cells(i, 3).Value
        CellRef = Sheets("x").Cells(i, 4).Value

        Ret = "'" & wbPath & "[" & WorkbookName & "]" & _
              WorksheetName & "'!" & Range(CellRef).Address(True, True, -4150)

        Sheets("x").Cells(i, 5).Value = ExecuteExcel4Macro(Ret)
    Next i
End Sub

The macro will fill column E with the data.

In your case column A will be filled with replicated values since your files are all in a single folder.