My Excel has gone crazy!! Please Help!!

sdr

My Excel is doing the strangest thing!!

When I copy a formula to another cell it copies the totals rather than the formula

So when I do even a simple formula such as A1:A3 and then total it up the answer might be say 10, so the formula is working ok. BUT if I the try and copy that formula to say cells B1:B3 and then total it up the answer is not B1:B3 but it copies 10.

Has anyone seen this before it has got me beat!!

sundancer101

I think your problem is to do with relative/absolute references.

Here is the info pasted from excel help:

Absolute references If you don't want Excel to adjust references when you copy a formula to a different cell, use an absolute reference. For example, if your formula multiplies cell A5 with cell C1 (=A5*C1) and you copy the formula to another cell, Excel will adjust both references. You can create an absolute reference to cell C1 by placing a dollar sign ($) before the parts of the reference that do not change. To create an absolute reference to cell C1, for example, add dollar signs to the formula as follows:
=A5*$C$1
Switching between relative and absolute references If you created a formula and want to change relative references to absolute (and vice versa), select the cell that contains the formula. In the [URL="javascript:HelpPopup('xltip9.hlp','xldefFormulaBar');"]formula bar[/URL], select the reference you want to change and then press F4. Each time you press F4, Excel toggles through the combinations: absolute column and absolute row (for example, $C$1); relative column and absolute row (C$1); absolute column and relative row ($C1); and relative column and relative row (C1). For example, if you select the address $A$1 in a formula and press F4, the reference becomes A$1. Press F4 again and the reference becomes $A1, and so on.

f1charlie

Daft question, but you are copying and not cutting?

Life_On_Mars

When you paste into another cell try right-click and "paste special". This will open up a window of options including the option to paste the formula or "paste all". This might solve your problem.

sdr

Many thanks for your suggestions. I tried it this morning and it seemed to be ok. :j

In case anyone looks at this thread in the future, another thing to check is the tools>options and calcualtions bit and make sure it was set to automatic.

Thanks again for everyones suggestions!!