What is this Excel formula supposed to do? - excel-formula

I have a spreadsheet in which I'm supposed to fix up broken formulas. Does anyone know what this is 'meant' to do?
=#REF!A33

That means there was a reference to a worksheet or a named range that has been deleted.
In other words it may have been
=Worksheet2!A33
but Worksheet2 has been deleted.
Possibly nearby cells have similar formulas that still point to a valid location and you can recreate what it pointed to...

Invalid cell reference errors occur when a spreadsheet formula contains incorrect cell references.
See: http://spreadsheets.about.com/od/formulatips/qt/REF_error.htm

It probably was referencing a cell on another sheet which got deleted
so
=Sheet1!A33
becomes
=#REF!A33

Related

Listing Duplicates in Excel

'{=IFERROR(INDEX(indirect("'"&$B$1&"'!E$8:E$105),MATCH(1,((COUNTIF(D2:D$2,indirect("'"&$B$1&"'!E$8:E$105))=0)*(COUNTIF(indirect("'"&$B$1&"'!E$8:E$105),indirect("'"&$B$1&"'!E$8:E$105))>=2)),0)),"")}'
I've tried using the above formula to list duplicate values in one sheet by searching whichever sheet name is in Cell B1. The above won't work, but I'm unsure as to why? Is it the syntax, or something else?
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
The quotes are a bit out of whack in the indirect functions
indirect("'"&$B$1&"'!E$8:E$105) should be INDIRECT($B$1&"!E$8:E$105",1)
It works for me after fixxing that, then deleting the dynamic range marks i.e. '{}' , and finally changing the format of the cell to general

Why using worksheet name in formula makes it fail after sorting?

I'm looking for any documentation or explanation for something that happens in Excel and I think it's a bug, unless somebody can throw some light in this.
Recreate this fail is very easy:
The above data is in a worksheet named Hoja1.
First column are typed values.
Second column is a formula like this: =Hoja1!A2 and drag down
Third column is a formula like this: =A2 and drag down.
I know the formula in second column wouldn't be the proper way (no need to reference the worksheet name if you are referencing cells in same worksheet), but it's needed to check this behaviour.
Now, just sort data using first column as criteria (order from min to max). I was expecting formulas would still show the most left cell value, but see what happens:
I was not expecting that at all. I tought that because I've used relative references in =Hoja1!A2, it would be increasing row number. but not at all. Formulas look like this:
Solution to this is easy, I must use clearly notation excluding worksheet name when referencing cells in same worksheet, but this behaviour is wrong for me.
I've search on Google, Microsoft Forums and also SO and found nothing about this behaviour when referencing cells in same worksheet using worksheet name.
As I said, I know the solution, but I was expecting somebody share any info about this issue.
That's all. Thanks in advance.
This is a known bug/feature/"by design" - eg see:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/msoffice/forum/all/excel-table-with-formulas-wont-sort-properly/56a70898-bee5-4226-8d96-72f05f49eb11

Multiple Cell Vlookup Searches

I trying to make this formula flexible so I can search the value in a cell in multiple file paths and different excel files to give me a result.
My data in each excel fiel is in the same table for each workbook.
=VLOOKUP(A6,IndirectEx("'C:\_Excel\ExcelExamples\VLOOKUP_External_Sample\[Workbookname.xlsx]Master'!MatlDB"),1,0)
Can you guys help.
Thanks-
Based on your comment that the file paths are stored in a table, and assuming that these are on a sheet named "Locations":
=VLOOKUP(A6,INDIRECT(Locations!A1&Locations!B1),1,0)
This should work, but the cell references are hardcoded. Not sure how you want to select the references.
I answered my own question. So after some trial and error my result, and if someone can find a better way or help me create a macro, that would be awesome.
="vlookup(A1,"&"'"&""&A2&"\"&"["&A3&"]"&"SampleTab'!$G$62:$DU$175,A4,0)"
So what I had to do is write it as I was creating a text. Copied it into a different cell and remove the quotations from the formula.
Then move the range P114 , C117 , C122 & Q113
A1 would be the lookup value cell.
A2 would be the file path cell.
A3 would be the workbook name (note it has to include the file extension)
The range (SampleTab'!$G$62:$DU$175) has to be hard coded for now. A4 would be the row where the data is at.

vba excel formula in locked cell changes to numeric value

I have a simple formula (an AutoSum) in a protected sheet and locked cell. My VBA code does not access this cell directly. Despite this, the formula sometimes changes to the numeric result when the sum changes. Any ideas how I can prevent this from happening?
It sounds like the Cell value is being set implicitly which over writes the formula. You may have a cell reference that you are missing. If your code does not set anything in that cell, then there is something in your workbook doing it. Try going to the Formulas tab and selecting Trace Dependents. See if an arrow points to something you were not aware of. Some of my sheets get so huge that I can loose track of things. Especially if I do any cutting and pasting.

Pull data using VBA, Vlookup or Index Matching

Here is my question. I have tried to use Vlookup and receive an #NA and then I have tried to use Index Matching and the formula breaks and the returns are not all present. I receive some 0's and some #REF!'s in the column of my formula.
This is what I am trying to do. I have workbook with 2 work sheets. The first worksheet called 'brazil' is where I have written my formula in the column D.
Now, what I am trying to do is match up the email address from worksheet 'brazil email' and the worksheet from the 'brazil' and then pull the information from the cell in the 'brazil' worksheet a column that matches with the email from the formula.
The snippet shows the formula works in row 3 column D and returns the information from column A(employee), but breaks after a few rows and works intermittently.
Current my formula looks like this: =INDEX(A2:A34, MATCH(C2, 'Brazil email'!$A$2:$A48, 0))
Here is the snippet of the other worksheet: enter image description here
If you have any ideas on what could be causing the breakdown of my formula, that would be great.
I am willing to share a sample of the spreadsheet with you if needed. Thanks for any help. :)
Any other methods, like an alternate vlookup or vba would be great. :)
UPDATE 3/15:
I was able to update my formula and locked it down as per the great advice given on the below comment. :)
This is the latest update. I am still receiving #REF! on some of my cells. I copied and pasted in case there was a space and verified that the column is set to general and not text.
What could possibly be giving me the #REF! when it should be the data from the matched and index cell. I see the other rows worked but for some reason some of the cells on column D didn't update with the data from column A.
Please assist since I have 25,000 lines of this I have to sort through and trying to work smarter not harder. :)
I have removed the original snippet since the update given has corrected some of the errors. Here is the latest image with the current #REF!, Please assist: enter image description here
Looking at your formula, it seems that the first parameter should be locked:
=INDEX($A$2:$A$34, MATCH(C2, 'Brazil email'!$A$2:$A$48, 0))
When you copy your formula down, Excel will shift that first bit out of bounds.
UPDATE:
The #REF! usually comes from copying/pasting formulas or deleting/moving referenced data.
What I can think here is to make sure to put the working formula in the top cell and paste all the way down.
Also important: Added another lock to the formula (didn't see it before), on the referenced range inside the MATCH section.

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