Formula is surrounded by brackets

[Brenda from Michigan]

User has Excel 2002 SP3

User is adding data for a given individual from many sheets into a single
sheet. Some of the formulas are surrounded by brackets {}. She writes:
"In the spreadsheet, sheet 1 compiles the numbers from the individual
worksheets. In column F the formula for Bates and many others begins and
ends with { }. However, in Flick's row and a few others the formula begins
with =. When I attempt to add rows to the sheet the rows with the { } adjust
but the rows with the = do not. "

Can anyone explain this behavior? Thanks!

 

[Mike H]

Brenda,

Those formula enclosed in {} are array formula. If you edit these formula
then you must re-enter as an array by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+Enter.

For help on array formula look here

http://www.cpearson.com/excel/ArrayFormulas.aspx

Mike

 

[Chip Pearson]

The curly braces { } indicate that the formula is an array formula.
You don't type in the braces. Instead, you press CTRL SHIFT ENTER
rather than just ENTER when you create the formula or edit it later.

Briefly, array formulas work with arrays or series of values rather
than single values. In almost all cases, a formula that is designed to
work with arrays and thus must be entered with CTRL SHIFT ENTER will
not work properly if it is not array entered.

See http://www.cpearson.com/excel/ArrayFormulas.aspx for a lot more
information about array formulas.

Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional
Excel Product Group, 1998 - 2009
Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
www.cpearson.com
(email on web site)