Linking Excel files in Dropbox

[Spud208]

We just switched to Dropbox for Business.  We have several Excel files with formulas that link to other Excel files all saved in a shared folder.  With our local server the links would work for every user the same.  Now with using Dropbox, the link will work for one user and not for another user.  If the 2nd user changes the file path to make the link work for them, then it will no longer work for the first user.  How do we make it so all users in the shared file can open the Excel file and have the links update without having to change the file path for each user?

[cmndrsn · Accepted solution]

While I've never encountered this issue, this likely has to do with where your spreadsheet is trying to read the pathname from.
What I imagine is occurring is each computer has a different working directory and so the pathnames are pointing to the right file, but the wrong directory.
For example, you may be trying to read a filename called Doc.txt. Your computer may read a directory such as:
C:/Users/Bob/Dropbox/Doc.txt
Whereas your colleague's system may be trying to read it from:
C:/Users/John/Dropbox/Doc.txt

 In other words, you will probably want to change the pathname to a relative one. Here's a webpage demonstrating how:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/903163/how-to-create-absolute-hyperlinks-and-relative-hyper...

Let me know if this helps!

Cam

[Spud208]

Thank you for your help!

[PratyushChowdhary]

Hi Dropbox, same issue exists with MAC.