Forum Discussion
Understanding an INDIRECT Formula
As a supplement to the specific explanation given by HansVogelaar , here's a link to an on-line resource with a more generic description of INDIRECT. You might find that website, in general, to be useful when you come across functions unfamiliar to you.
JasonTan25 I just wanted to f/u on the 2 previous comments with a warning. In the link provided by mathetes there is the warning: "Note: INDIRECT is a https://exceljet.net/glossary/volatile-function and can cause performance problems in large or complex worksheets. Use with care." and I want to clarify, explain, and EMPHASIZE that warning. Basically Excel tried to be smart. So let's pretend you have a 10,000 row sheet with a calculation in column D based on Columns A,B and C. If you make a change to something in A, B or C it will re-calculate D but if you make a change elsewhere (and that doesn't affect A, B, C) then it will NOT re-calculate D. Makes sense, right. BUT when you use INDIRECT Excel doesn't know what might affect that calculation because it has to evaluate the function to figure that out and therefore it is considered "volatile" and therefore is ALWAYS re-calculated on ANY change. So if column A pulls data based on using the INDIRECT() function then any time you make any changes on the sheet it will recalculate column A which also means anything dependent on A, like col D, must also get re-calculated even if it really doesn't affect those values (i.e. 20,000+ extra calculations) and hence why it says it "can cause performance problems in large or complex worksheets. Use with care."