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Using Peek a Link

Peek-a-Link is a feature designed to provide a "bird's eye view" of data from multiple workbooks in a single location.

  • Core function: It allows users to link data across different workbooks using a common matching field (like a primary key or join field), eliminating the need to constantly switch between sheets to view related information.

  • Problem solved: When working across multiple workbooks (e.g., Workbook 1 for Test Cases, Workbook 2 for Release Execution, Workbook 3 for Summary), switching between them to find correlated data is time-consuming and causes delays. PAL Link lets you see the related data instantly within your current sheet.

  • Scope: The linking works irrespective of the workspace the workbooks belong to.

PAL Link functions by creating a permanent link based on a match between two data fields (columns) in different workbooks.

The Peek-a-Link option is available on columns for all data types except for lookup fields.

  • You will see an option called "Link" when you click on a cell within the column you want to use for linking (the primary key).

To set up the link:

  1. In your current workbook (Workbook A), click on the header in the column you want to use as the matching key and select the Peek a Link option.

  2. Select the option to Create a new link.

  3. Give the link a descriptive name (e.g., "Test Link").

  4. Choose the Workbook B that you want to link to.

  5. Map the column from Workbook A (the sheet you are currently in) to the corresponding, matching column in Workbook B.

    [Important]

    The data in these two mapped columns must match for the link to successfully show the related records (e.g., if you map by 'Company,' the company name must be identical in both sheets).

  6. Click Create. Once created, you must click Save a link to make it permanent.

3. Viewing Linked Data​

Once the link is saved, you can view the linked data instantly:

  1. Go to the linked column in Workbook A. Where data matches an entry in Workbook B, you will see a small PAL Link symbol (a number indicating how many workbooks are linked).

  2. Click the symbol. A window will open showing all the related column information for that specific entry from Workbook B.

    info

    Zero Records: If the matching key (e.g., company name) does not exist in Workbook B, the link will show "zero records found."

PAL Link allows you to perform basic Create, Read, and Delete (CRUD) operations on the linked workbook (Workbook B) while staying in Workbook A.

1. Adding a New Record​

  • While viewing the linked data, there is an option to Add a new record.

  • Clicking this allows you to input data for the fields in Workbook B directly from Workbook A.

  • Automatic Linking: When a new record is added to either sheet, or if an existing record's linking field is updated to match the other sheet, the link will be automatically generated.

2. Deleting a Record​

You can choose to Delete a record while viewing the linked data in Workbook A. This action will delete the corresponding entry from the linked workbook (Workbook B).

  • Access is Required: To use Peek-a-Link and perform any operations (view, add, delete), you must have the proper permissions (e.g., edit or admin permissions) for both the current workbook (Workbook A) and the linked workbook (Workbook B).

  • If you lack permissions for the target workbook, the link will not work correctly, or it will be blocked.

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