Excel Reference to Another Sheet

Reference to Another Sheet in Excel

An Excel reference to another sheet is required when we need to get the data from another sheet or even from a different workbook as well. Often in excel, we link cells to make the formula dynamic and real-time.

How to Reference Another Sheet or Workbook in Excel? (with Examples)

Example #1 – Reference in the Same Worksheet

To give reference to an excel cell or range of cells from the same worksheets isn’t the toughest job in the world. We just need to select the required cell from the resulted cell.

Assume you are in the cell E8, and you need the data from B2 cell.

In the B2 cell, we have Apple’s price, and we need the same number to be linked to the E8 cell. So open equal sign in the E8 cell.

Now you can select the particular cell by mouse (B2 cell), or you can also type B2 directly then, Hit the enter key now, we have a value from the cell B2 to E8.

Now, E8 cell is completely dependent on B2 cell, whatever the changes take place in the cell B2 will have a direct effect on E8 cell except cell formatting.

Example #2 – Reference in the Same Workbook but from Different Sheet

Referencing a cell from the same sheet in excel doesn’t need rocket science knowledge, and similarly, we referencing from the different worksheets in the same workbook is also as simple as that.

Assume you have sheet names Sheet1 & Sheet2.

In Sheet1, we have sales data, and in Sheet2, we need the total of these sales data.

Now open the SUM function in Sheet2 and in A2 cell.

Now go to Sheet1 and select the required cell range, i.e., B2 to B6.

Close the formula and hit the enter key.

Now take a look at the formula reference =SUM in Excel (Sheet1! B2:B6).

So, in order to reference an excel cell or range of cells from another sheet, we need to get a worksheet name first, i.e., Sheet1 and followed by an exclamation mark (!) before we mention the cell address, and cell address is B2: B6.

In the case of a single-cell worksheet name and cell address, i.e., =Sheet1! B2

In this way, we can reference the different worksheet cells in the same workbook. A simple thing is when we reference the cell from the different worksheets in the same workbook, we get the sheet names before the cell reference.

Example #3 – Reference in the Different Workbook Sheet

While referencing a cell or range of cells from another sheet, we get a sheet name, and similarly, when we are referencing an excel cell or range of cells from different workbooks, we get a workbook name, worksheet name, and cell reference.

For example, let’s say we have two workbooks Main File and ABC File.

From Main File, we need to refer to the cell B2 from the sheet Sheet2. Open the equal sign in ABC File.

Now go to the workbook Main File > Sheet2 selects A2 cell.

So we got the Another Sheet reference as ='[Main File.xlsx] Sheet2’! $A$2

‘[Main File.xlsx] Sheet2’ this the first thing we got in the cell reference. Main File.xlsx is the workbook we are referring to; here, Main File is the workbook we are referring to, and .xlsx is the file excel extension of the workbook.

Sheet2 is the worksheet name in the Main File workbook.

$A$2 is the cell we are referring to in Sheet2 in the Main File workbook.

Note: When the cell or range of cells referred from another workbook, it will create the cell reference as an absolute cell reference. In the above example, $A$2 is the indication of the same.

We have seen how to reference the cell from a different workbook, and below is the cell reference from another sheet we got.

This is the reference we got when the workbook is opened. Now I will close the workbook Main File and see what the impact on this excel cell reference is.

Oh!!! It looks like rocket science, isn’t it??

But this is not as intimidating as you are thinking right now. Take a close at the reference now.

=’E:\sharmila\[Main File.xlsx]Sheet2′!$A$2

=’E:\ is the drive in your computer or laptop.

\sharmila is the main folder name in the drive =’E:\

\[Main File.xlsx] is the file name.

Sheet2′!$A$2 is the worksheet name and cell reference.

Things to Remember

• When we are referencing cells from the same sheet, we only get cell addresses.
• When we are referencing cell from another sheet in excel but form the same workbook, we get the worksheet names we are referring to and the cell address in that worksheet.
• If the cell is referred from another excel worksheet in the same workbook, we get relative excel reference, i.e., A2.
• If the cell is referred from another workbook in excel, then we get an absolute reference, i.e., $A$2.

Recommended Articles

This has been a guide to Excel Reference to Another Sheet. Here we discuss how to give a reference from one sheet to Another sheet from the same Workbook or Another Workbook along with practical examples and a downloadable excel template. You may learn more about excel from the following articles –

• How to Protect Workbook in Excel?
• What is 3D Reference in Excel?
• Cell Reference in Excel
• Excel Shared Workbook