Copying a cell down a column

[Chip]

For years I have clicked the bottom right corner of a formula cell and
dragged down the cell and it copies fine.

Today I received a spreadsheet from another person and tried to work on it.
I calculated a formula in a cell. Then I dragged it down the spreadsheet.
The result was that all cells down the page had the same answer as the first
cell I had copied. But each cell had the correct formula in it.

The drag changed the formula, which should have changed the result in the
cell, but it kept the same value as the first cell.

Any help ?? Thanks.

 

[Gaurav]

Make sure that the formula doesnt have absolute references. for Example $A$1
change it to A1 if you want formula to adjust as you drag it down.

for a better answer, post your formula.

 

[Gord Dibben]

Turn automatic calculation back on.

Tools>Options>Calculation.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[Chip]

Don't have any absolutes.....

=CONCATENATE(TRIM(A4),B4,C4,D4) is the original formula.

The next cell down the column is: ==CONCATENATE(TRIM(A5),B5,C5,D5) and so
forth. But the new value in the cell remains the same as the first cell. I
have even changed for formula to just add to cells together and I get the
same result.

I don't know anything about locking a file or anything like that. As I said
before I have even copied the cells to another workbook and it acts the same.

 

[Chip]

Thank you....I had never heard of that issue.

Turn automatic calculation back on.

Tools>Options>Calculation.


Gord Dibben MS Excel MVP

 

[Gord Dibben]

Common problem......not yet fixed in 2007 version.

Am surprised you never ran across it yet.

Tools>Options>Calculation can be Auto or Manual.

Excel takes the Calculation mode each session from the settings on the first
workbook opened in that session.

i.e. If you saved Book1 with calc mode in manual and opened it first, calc
mode would be in Manual.

If you saved Book2 with calc mode in auto and opened it after Book1, Book2
would be in manual mode(Excel ignores the auto calc mode in this case).

If you close Book1 before opening Book2, Book2 will be in auto calc mode.

Confusing enough? <g>


Gord