Cell Self Reference

[Trent Swain]

I am trying to figure out if I can have an offset function indirectly refer
to it¹s own cell so that it can be copied and pasted elsewhere and require
no modification after being pasted. Consider the following function in cell
B1:

=OFFSET(B1,0,-1)

This function refers to cell A1. If I copy and paste it to cell D3, it will
still refer to cell A1 unless I manually change the function¹s base
reference from ³B1² to ³D3².

Is there a simple way that I can have the function be based on whatever cell
contains the function? To illustrate:

=OFFSET([CurrentCellAddress],0,-1)

Thanks.

 

[dvt]

Cell Self ReferenceI see that Chip gave you a nice answer already. But I
don't understand something. Why don't you just use =A1 in cell B1? If you
then copy and paste the formula elsewhere, the reference automatically
updates. What am I missing?

Dave
dvt at psu dot edu

...
I am trying to figure out if I can have an offset function indirectly refer
to it's own cell so that it can be copied and pasted elsewhere and require
no modification after being pasted. Consider the following function in cell
B1:

=OFFSET(B1,0,-1)

This function refers to cell A1. If I copy and paste it to cell D3, it will
still refer to cell A1 unless I manually change the function's base
reference from "B1" to "D3".

Is there a simple way that I can have the function be based on whatever cell
contains the function? To illustrate:

=OFFSET([CurrentCellAddress],0,-1)