Sum across multiple sheets when adding sheets with dynamically changing sheet names?

[Budman361530]

Not sure if I am trying something that is impossible?  I have a timesheet tracking workbook.  Each sheet's name changes dynamically to a job number, when I enter the job number into a cell at the top of each individual sheet.  

Example below... update cell E2 to "MJN Job 3" the sheet is automatically named "MJN Job 3"

 

Currently I have 10 sheets in my work book.   We have grown past this, and some weeks we have well over 10 jobs.  I want to make a Macro to add sheets.  That part is easy.  However, all the sheets total on one summary sheet.   My current code in the summary sheet is simple...(example above) ='test test'!D42+'MJN 21MJNtest'!D42+'MJN Job 3'!D42... etc.   

Can I, or is it possible to have a formula that would know to grab/add all of Cell D42's, from what ever sheets are between let's say sheet "MJN Job 1", and sheet "MJN Job 100"... depending how many sheets I may add?

[#2 · Accepted solution]

@Budman361530 

Add the sum formula into the desired cell

1. Left click on the FIRST sheet with the mouse.
2. Hold Shift key and left click on the LAST sheet. Now select the cell D42 in the LAST sheet. Add a closing bracket to the formula and press Enter. Your sum formula should now look like this.

Considering the names you gave us, your formula will look like that

=SUM('test test:MJN Job 3'!D42)

In other words

=SUM('FirstSheet:LastSheet'!D42)

Replace FirstSheet and LastSheet with the worksheet names you wish to sum between.

We can change this to be more dynamic, making it even easier to use. Instead of using the names of the first and last sheets, you can create two blank sheets to act as bookends for your calculation. 

[#3]

Ugh!!!! I was so close. I had two extra " ' " (apostrophes) in my equation. I was typing =SUM('first sheet':'last sheet'!D42) and could not figure out why that wasn't working. Was wondering if it just couldn't be done. Works now... thank you!! Have an awesome day!

[#4]

how do you do that? I have a sheet that I'm trying to create multiple date sheets
ie. date at the top creates a tab with new date

[#5]

@Juliano-Petrukio 
Hi Juliano,

Imagine that you have 2 cells, where the first contain the name of the first tab and the second the name of the second one. It can be use full if the tab name change and you have a lot of cells where you use the formula, as if you create a template.

Is it possible to write a formula which use these two cells? It seems that it does not work.

I tried the below formulas:

=SUM(INDIRECT("'"&$A$1 & ":" & $B$2 & "'!D42"))

=SUM(CONCATENATE("'",$A$1,":",$A$2,"'!D42"))

SUM(CONCATENATE("'",$A$1,":",$B$2)&INDIRECT("'!D42"))

No of these formulas works.
Do you have an idea about how to do?
Thank you so much

[#6]

@Boulawan 

INDIRECT() doesn't work with 3D references, i.e. with ones like Shee2:Sheet6. One of workarounds if you have sequentially numbered sheets. When you may generate array of references on such sheets and sum result

=SUM(INDIRECT("Sheet" & SEQUENCE(5,,2) & "!D42" ))

However, that's not practical, especially for the templates.

Another workaround is to create two empty sheets, start and end, we may hide them. Actual sheets will be in between. With that formula could be

=SUM(start:end!D42)

Also not perfect, but at least something.

Another way is to generate list of all sheets with VBA or Automate and use them as in first case.

[#7]

@SergeiBaklan 

Thank you Sergei,

About the first formula, unfortunately, I do not have any sequential sheet names, but it is a solution which could be necessary to keep in mind for any future spreadsheet.

The second solution is good, if we hid the sheets, it will as if there was nothing, then it will be complitely transparent for the users.

Thank you for your answer, whichh was very useful.

[#8]

@Boulawan , you are welcome.

Problem with second solution is if user would like to add another tab, most probably it'll be after end. When formula result is incorrect.