How do I link cells, sheet to sheet, to recognize row deletions?

[Guest]

In Office XP - Excel - I want to copy a column from one sheet to another
sheet in the same workbook. I want the copied links to recognize row
deletions and insertions when I change the source sheet. When I use the
Copy, Paste Special, Paste Links command, the linked sheet does not recognize
a row deletion in the source sheet. Instead, the linked sheet displays a #Ref
message in the cell related to the deleted row.

 

[Max]

One way to try ..

Assume the source col to be linked is col A in Sheet1, A1 down

In Sheet2
-------------
Put in any starting cell, say A1:
=OFFSET(INDIRECT("Sheet1!A1"),ROWS($A$1:A1)-1,)

Copy A1 down as many rows
as the linking is required to col A in Sheet1

This should now "recognize" any subsequent row* insertions / deletions in
Sheet1 (*or even column deletions in Sheet1)
viz. col A in Sheet2 will always point to what's in col A in Sheet1

Adapt to suit. For e.g. if you want to link to col B in Sheet3 instead,
change:

INDIRECT("Sheet1!A1")
to
INDIRECT("Sheet3!B1")

in the formula

 

[Guest]

LeeC & Max -

The INIDRECT() function is necessary only if there's a chance that the first
row might be deleted. Also,

ROWS($A$1:A1)-1

can be shortened to

ROW()-1

So, if LeeC knows that the first row will never be deleted, this shorter
formula works, too:

=OFFSET(Sheet1!$A$1,ROW()-1,)

 

[Guest]

Thank you so very much! We (my associate and I) were searching everywhere in
"Help", certain that this could be done. Again - Thanks!

 

[Guest]

Thanks so much - - This shortened approach will work in some of our
scenarios. Thanks for your help, and your time!

 

[Max]

You're welcome !
Glad it helped ..

 

[Max]

Thanks, Duke. Agreed there's shorter versions. But for increased robustness'
sake, thought the extra INDIRECT wrap, and the use of the slightly longer
"ROWS($A$1:A1)-1" over "ROW()-1" was worth it in this instance ..

 

[Harlan Grove]

Max wrote...
....

In Sheet2

....

Very baroque, almost rococo.

Since your formula is meant to give Sheet1!A1 in Sheet2!A1, Sheet1!A99
in Sheet2!A99, etc., better to simplify.

=INDIRECT("Sheet1!RC",0)

Note that this doesn't need any changes to be used in other columns.

 

[Max]

Since your formula is meant to give Sheet1!A1 in Sheet2!A1,
Sheet1!A99 in Sheet2!A99, etc..

Just a clarification. No, not necessarily. Perhaps it might have been more
illustrative to have described the example starting cell in Sheet2 as say,
B2, rather than the coincident "A1"

=INDIRECT("Sheet1!RC",0)

Interestingly concise! Thanks. But how could the above be modified / adapted
so that the formula can be placed in any starting cell in Sheet2, say in B2
and copied down to link to Sheet1's col A, say?

 

[Harlan Grove]

Max wrote...
....

Interestingly concise! Thanks. But how could the above be modified / adapted
so that the formula can be placed in any starting cell in Sheet2, say in B2
and copied down to link to Sheet1's col A, say?

With hardcoding, so Sheet2!B2 returns the value of Sheet1!A1,

B2:
=INDIRECT("Sheet1!R[-1]C[-1]",0)

Hardcoding only the source worksheet name and top-left result cell
address,

B2:
=INDIRECT("Sheet1!R"&ROWS($B$2:B2)&"C"&COLUMNS($B$2:B2),0)

 

[Max]

Thanks, Harlan !
Good alternatives to learn ..

 

[Guest]

Sounds like just what I need, too: but being a newbie, your instructions have
me stumped. How/where do I enter the "=OFFSET..." formula? When I click the
formula bar icon, all I'm allowed to do is select a pre-existing formula from
a list

I've already got words in all the cells of the column where I want to put
the formula. Will the formual wipe out the words?

 

[Peo Sjoblom]

Yes, the formula will wipe out all the words if you put them in the same
cell, I believe the point with Max's formulas was to use another sheet
for the formulas thus link the from that sheet. You enter a formula by
selecting a cell and start by typing equal sign then type the formula, or
you can select a cell and click in the formula bar and enter the formula
there

 

[Guest]

What I have is this kind of table:

Evaluation Criteria Rating
Easy to Use yes
Intuitive Design yes
Windows Compatible no

etc.

I need to have a second sheet with the same Column A items, but different
Column B content....and they need to be linked so that if I insert another
Evaluation criterion (or delete one) on sheet A, the corresponding row will
also appear or disappear on sheet B.. But, entering the suggested formula in
each column A cell, will wipe out the data in that column. Hopefully someone
will know how to link the Column As on both sheets without requiring a
formula to occupy each cell of column A.

Not sure how your suggestion about using another sheet for the formulas,
would solve my problem, but, me being a newbie, it's not surprising!

 

[Max]

Here's a sample construct:
http://cjoint.com/?lrxU7szxxX
BobW_misc.xls

Assuming the source table is in Sheet1, cols A to C, with Evaluation in col
A

In Sheet2,

Put in A2, copy down:
=IF(OFFSET(INDIRECT("Sheet1!A1"),ROWS($A$1:A2)-1,)=0,"",
OFFSET(INDIRECT("Sheet1!A1"),ROWS($A$1:A2)-1,))

Sheet2 will reflect the row deletions / insertions made in Sheet1

 

[Guest]

Max, YOU THE MAN! Thank you for the example file...just what i needed!

 

[Max]

Glad it helped, BobW !
Thanks for the feedback

 

[Guest]

Max, I love how it works, but...still don't understand where/how you inserted
the formula. Remember, I'm a newbie

 

[Max]

.. where/how you inserted the formula.

In Sheet2,

Put in A2, copy down:
=IF(OFFSET(INDIRECT("Sheet1!A1"),ROWS($A$1:A2)-1,)=0,"",
OFFSET(INDIRECT("Sheet1!A1"),ROWS($A$1:A2)-1,))

From the above lines, the formula is placed in Sheet2's A2,
and then copied down

I'd select the tab: Sheet2, then select the cell A2, click inside the
formula bar, then either type-out the formula, or paste it in (if I had
copied it earlier). And then I'd press ENTER to confirm the formula. To copy
the formula in A2 down, I'd re-select A2 and point the cursor at its fill
handle, i.e. the little black solid box at the bottom right corner of A2
(the cursor will also turn into a "black cross"), and drag it down as far as
I want.

Hope the above helps ..

 

[Guest]

Max,
I notice that in sheet 2, row 1 of your example, there's this formula:
=OFFSET(INDIRECT("Sheet1!A1"),ROWS($A$1:A1)-1,)

Whereas the formula for row 2 is more complicated:
=IF(OFFSET(INDIRECT("Sheet1!A1"),ROWS($A$1:A2)-1,)=0,"",
OFFSET(INDIRECT("Sheet1!A1"),ROWS($A$1:A2)-1,))

What's the purpose of the Row 1 formula...and what if I need three or four
additional header rows instead of just one row...do I just change the "A2"s
throughout, to "A5" or "A6", etc?

Also,