I use excel and store the documents in Dropbox. I would like to edit them in numbers on my ipad and update to the excel file stored in Dropbox to access on any of my equipment. Is this possible, and how is it done?

Skyguy,

Generally Numbers will open an excel file by doing the following (without you seeing):

1) open file

2) translate to a Numbers document

3) allow you to start editing

at this point when you save the document you will be saving a Numbers doc NOT an excel doc. This means you will have to export an excel doc... which is more like saving a snap shot of the Numbers document at the momement you export it.

I do not know how this works with iWork on iOS or with iCloud as I do not have a device.

So my thought is this is likely not to work well unless you want to keep the documents in Numbers. I saw MS released office for iOS (iPad pending):

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/office-mobile-for-office-365/id541164041?mt=8

1. Open the Drop box app
2. Open the file in question
3. Tap the Open In icon (far upper right, the one with the down pointign arrow)
4. Select Open In ..
5. Select Numbers

Number will translate the file format (as Wayne Mentioned)

To move it back to Drop box

1. With the file open in Numbers, tap the tool icon (upper right)
2. Share and Print
3. Open in Anotehr App
4. Select Excel
5. Choose app
6. Seelct Drop box

You do need to be aware that there is a significant amount of advanced Excel functionality that doesn't translate to Numbers (pivot table and conditional formating, just two examples).