"Amateurs" Linking via ODBC within Excel is not dangerous at all. You cannot write back to the tables in any way, it is read only. I therefore disagree with the comment made!
What a long-winded process! It is very interesting, but by far the best way of completing this exercise is to link Excel via ODBC to the Sage database. A lookup table, similar to the one here groups codes as required and you can then produce professional looking accounts in about 5 seconds each month. The same spreadsheet can be used over and over again for different months and years - a far better solution!
My answers
"Amateurs"
Linking via ODBC within Excel is not dangerous at all. You cannot write back to the tables in any way, it is read only. I therefore disagree with the comment made!
What a long-winded process!
It is very interesting, but by far the best way of completing this exercise is to link Excel via ODBC to the Sage database. A lookup table, similar to the one here groups codes as required and you can then produce professional looking accounts in about 5 seconds each month. The same spreadsheet can be used over and over again for different months and years - a far better solution!