Can't reference 2 other sheets in a third!

[rocketD]

Hi All,

I have a workbook with 3 sheets. In the third sheet, I'm trying to
reference columns in both sheet 1 and 2, to compare data entry by
person 1 and person 2, respectively. When I put in the references for
one sheet (e.g., ='Bup1'!A2) it's fine. When I do the same in an
adjacent column so I can compare the two, it only gives me the formula
as if it were just text I typed in. For example, in sheet 3, when
referenced, Column A and B are comparing dates from the two entries.
Column A shows 9/6/2007, and Column B shows ='Bup2'!A2. I referenced
these by entering = then navigating to the cell, and also by typing.
Neither works. I'm in 2007 and I don't know if there's some weird
quirk. Why would it do this and how can I fix it?

Thanks,
Dara

 

[Dave Peterson]

Select the cell
Give the cell a General format.
Then hit F2, then hit the enter key.

Excel will see you're entering a formula.

 

[rocketD]

Select the cell
Give the cell a General format.
Then hit F2, then hit the enter key.  

Excel will see you're entering a formula.








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Dave Peterson- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Works perfectly, thank you! Why doesn't it do this automatically in
2007? I have never had a problem with this in previous versions. Is
there a settings option I don't have checked or something?

Thanks again!

 

[Gord Dibben]

The cell you entered the formula into was pre-formatted as Text.

This is not the normal default for a new worksheet so assume somebody or a
process changed the format from default General to Text.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[rocketD]

The cell you entered the formula into was pre-formatted as Text.

This is not the normal default for a new worksheet so assume somebody or a
process changed the format from default General to Text.

Gord Dibben  MS Excel MVP







- Show quoted text -

Great, thanks.

 

[Dave Peterson]

Just to add to Gord's response...

Saved from a previous post.

Excel likes to help.

Try this on a test worksheet.
Select A1 and hit ctrl-; (to put the date in the cell)
now select B1 and type: =a1

Notice that excel changed the format of B1 to match the format in A1.

Now format D1 as Text.
put ASDF in D1
put =D1 in E1
You see ASDF.

With E1 selected, hit the F2 key and then enter (to pretend that you're changing
the formula).

Excel has "helped" you by changing that cell's format to text.

I don't know of any way of changing this behavior.

I just select the cell, and reformat it to General (or whatever I wanted). I
hit F2 and then enter (to reenter that formula).

Sometimes this feature is nice, sometimes it ain't.

=========
(And excel has been helpful for as many generations as I can remember. You
can't blame it on _just_ xl2007.)