Workbook Updates

 

When you distribute an Excel workbook to other users, it is quite expected that you will have to make updates and provide them to your users.

XLS Padlock provides you with several tools to facilitate the distribution of updates to your compiled workbooks, let's find out which ones.

 

Before you start, you should already be aware of the different save modes offered by XLS Padlock.

 

If your workbook is going to be modified often and your users only have to modify a few cell values in it when working with it, the save mode Save defined cell values only (.XLSCE file) is the most appropriate.

In fact, this allows you to update the main workbook file without the users having to re-enter all their data, because XLS Padlock with this save mode only keeps the cell values that you have designated and restores them later. This way you can modify all the logic of your workbook and your users keep the values of their cell data.

 

If you update your source workbook, the easiest way consists in recompiling it as an EXE file and deploying this new EXE to your customers (generally, they just download it again).

 

As it can be tedious for end users to redownload the EXE file and put it back in the right folder, XLS Padlock provides the possibility of an automatic update via the Web. Moreover, a regular control of possible update and notifications to end users can be set up:

 

 

Everything can be configured quickly and directly in XLS Padlock:

 

 

To set up your own update system, you must have a web hosting space available on the Internet (e.g. your own web hosting account or a dedicated server) where you can place files for direct download.

Then you just have to follow the instructions available on the how to set up automatic web updates page.