Numbers - Subfolder, inside a folder. Is it possible?!

Question

Level 1

8 points

Numbers - Subfolder, inside a folder. Is it possible?!

Morning all,

So I've got an interesting one here, which I think I know the answer too - However I'm looking to see if I'm wrong and someone has the answer to make my life so much easier.

I'm looking to create Subfolders, inside a folder, using Numbers.

For example:

I work as a Personal Trainer and currently I have multiple tabs running within each clients numbers tab. E.G.

- (Top Folder) 'Client Programmes'

- (Numbers File Title) 'Client 1'

- (Multiple Tabs) 'Client Overview' / 'Session Tracker' / 'Jan/Feb/March/Apr Programmes' etc...

I'm looking to break that down into Sub Folders, instead of all on one Document.

For example:

- (Top Folder) 'Clients'

- (Sub Folder) 'Client 1'

- (File 1) 'Client Overview, Goals/Targets etc'

- (File 2) ' Session Tracker & Payment'

- (File 3) 'January's Programme'

- (File 4) 'February's Programme'

Etc, Etc...

I know you could just say, "Make a top folder for that client, instead of using Sub Folders" - However I have other folders, like household bills etc that I want to track.

Thanks in advance and hope people are able to help - If not, APPLE, please make this a feature!

MacBook Air (13-inch, Early 2014), iOS 10.3.3

Posted on Jul 22, 2017 1:58 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 24, 2017 7:14 AM in response to SMiddlecote

Number has no concept of folders. The "tabs" across the top of the document select an object called a sheet.

You cannot create a hierarchy of sheets in Numbers.

you can have a sheet for each client and on each sheet have tables with relevant information.

Clients can be groups in a document where a document is the same class, or type of workout regime.

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Answer 2

Barry

Level 9

60,023 points

Jul 22, 2017 12:16 PM in response to SMiddlecote

Hi SM,

"Folders" are part of the file storage system. There's no reason you can't make a folder named "Clients", containing a set of folders (one for each client), each of which contains all of the files related to each client.

The greatest argument against this plan of organization is that Numbers has no means of directly communicating between the files—any information that is duplicated on the various files within the Client 1 folder would need to be entered on each separate file.

You can use a similar hierarchical organization using Numbers using a single "Clients" folder containing a single Numbers file (rather than folder) for each of your clients. File 1, File 2, etc. for each client would each be one or more Sheets in that Client's file.

Within that client file, Numbers can easily transfer (copy) information from one Sheet to another.

The recommended organization, in many cases, has been to dedicate one Sheet to data entry tables, and use the tables on the other sheets to draw specific data from the data entry tables.

Regards,

Barry

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Answer 3

SMiddlecote Author

Level 1

8 points

Jul 24, 2017 3:16 AM in response to Barry

Hi Barry,

Thanks for the swift reply. What you've said makes sense, however I feel I may have explained myself poorly.

Trying to use "Numbers" as the application, instead of through traditional "Folders" stored on my Macbook (As I use my Ipad whilst training clients and need to access their files through that).

The issue I'm having (Which again, I'm not sure if my explanation was poor, apologies if that was the case) - Is that when I'm looking at a clients programme, it's frustrating at points to scroll through numerous tabs, in said file to find their current programme.

For example, lets take "Joe Bloggs"

Joe Bloggs trains 3x P/W with me, every week. Which he's been doing for over 6 months.

So on my Ipad I'm currently looking at this for tab selection:

'Client Overview''Session Tracker''November - Programme 1''November - Programme 2''November - Programme 3'... All the way through until this current month. Which makes scrolling a frustration.

I'm just looking to see if I could have it like so from the Numbers Main Screen.

"Clients" (Folder 1)

"Joe Bloggs" (Sub Folder)

"Client Overview" (File 1)

"Session Tracker" (File 2)

"November Programmes" (File 3)

"December Programmes" (File 4)

Etc... Etc...

Instead of:

"Clients" (Folder 1)

"Joe Bloggs" (File 1)

"Client Overview" (File 1, Sub File 1)

"Session Tracker" (File 1, Sub File 2)

"November Programmes" (File 1, Sub File 3/4/5)

"December Programmes" (File 1, Sub File 6/7/8)

Etc... Etc...

I hope this makes sense and as I said before, if it's not possible - I understand, just looking for validation.

Cheers in advance,

Sean

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Answer 4

Barry

Level 9

60,023 points

Jul 24, 2017 10:51 AM in response to SMiddlecote

Hi Sean,

Adding to what Wayne has replied:

You can (in Numbers for Mac—I've not tried this in the iOS version) reorder the tabs for the sheet in a document by dragging them into a new position. You can also move objects (including tables) on a specific sheet to new positions on that sheet.

With a single file for each client, you could organize the document to place the tabs in this order:

Overview Tracker Dec Nov

(I've assumed sub files 3,4,5 are single table files, and could be placed on the Nov sheet, etc.)

When January starts, add a new sheet, Jan, and drag its tab to the position between Tracker and Dec:

Overview Tracker Jan Dec Nov

Regards,

Barry

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