Excel 2003, Formula Not Interpreted as a Formula

[smallia]

Hello eveyrone. I'm using Excel 2003. I have two cells, each containing exactly "='Time Sheet'!B8" (without the double quotes). 'Time Sheet' is the name of another sheet in the same work book. The first of these two cells is interpreting the ='Time Sheet'!B8 as a formula (as expected) and displaying the value of cell B8 from sheet Time Sheet. The second cell is displaying "='Time Sheet'!B8" (without the double quotes).

The second cell is not interpreting this as a formula, as expected. I know this by using the Watch Window function (right click on tool bar, select Watch Window, add these two cells). In the Watch Window, the first cell shows ='Time Sheet'!B8 in the Formula column (as expected). The second cell shows blank in the Formula column, but ='Time Sheet'!B8 in the Value column.

There is no single quote (') at the start of the second cell (I'm anticipating receiving that question). The cells contain exactly the same info.

One item to note is that cell 'Time Sheet'!B8 is a drop-down field, bit I can't imagine that would cause this.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[bluedragon2]

click on the cell and type the equals sign then go to the time sheet worksheet and click on B8 then press enter.





[Blue]Blue[/Blue] [Dragon]

If I wasn't Blue, I would just be a Dragon...

 

[smallia]

Thakns. When I do that in my second cell, it doesn't make a difference. The cell still returns the value ='Time Sheet'!B8 and not the value of cell B8 in sheet 'Time Sheet'. No change.

Also, when I do what you suggested in the first cell, it replaced the valid formula, and now appears the same (wrong) was as the second cell--a value of ='Time Sheet'!B8 and not a formula.

 

[GlennUK]

Is the cell formatted as Text? If so, then change the formatting to General.


Glenn.

 

[smallia]

Looks like that makes a difference. Changing the cells to General doesn't correct this, but after it's changed to General, re-entering = and selecting the cell 'Time Sheet'!B8 seems to correct the problem. Thanks.