Microsoft Office

Part IV
Using Advanced Excel Features
If you’re consolidating the worksheets in the same workbook and all the worksheets are laid out identically,
the consolidation task is simple. You can just use standard formulas to create the consolidations. For example,
to compute the total for cell A1 in worksheets named Sheet2 through Sheet10, enter the following
formula:
=SUM(Sheet2:Sheet10!A1)
You can enter this formula manually or use the multisheet selection technique discussed in Chapter 5. You
can then copy this formula to create summary formulas for other cells.
If the consolidation involves other workbooks, you can use external reference formulas to perform your
consolidation. For example, if you want to add the values in cell A1 from Sheet1 in two workbooks (named
Region1 and Region2), you can use the following formula:
=[Region1.xlsx]Sheet1!B2+[Region2.xlsx]Sheet1!B2
You can include any number of external references in this formula, up to the 8,000-character limit for a formula.
However, if you use many external references, such a formula can be quite lengthy and confusing if
you need to edit it.
If the worksheets that you’re consolidating aren’t laid out the same, you can still use formulas, but you need
to ensure that each formula refers to the correct cell.
Consolidating worksheets by using Paste Special
Another method of consolidating information is to use the Paste Special dialog box. This technique takes
advantage of the fact that the Paste Special dialog box can perform a mathematical operation when it pastes
data from the Clipboard. For example, you can use the Add option to add the copied data to the selected
range. Figure 27.5 shows the Paste Special dialog box.
This method is applicable only when all the worksheets that you’re consolidating are open. The disadvantage
is that the consolidation isn’t dynamic. In other words, it doesn’t generate formulas. So, if any data that
was consolidated changes, the consolidation is no longer accurate.
FIGURE 27.5
The Paste Special dialog box.
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