External Reference to Worksheet with Leading Numeric Character

 Last reviewed: October 31, 1994
Article ID: Q30962
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows versions 2.x, 3.0 and 4.0
  • Microsoft Excel for OS/2 versions 2.2, 2.21, and 3.0

Summary:

If a formula contains an external reference to a worksheet that has a name beginning with a numeric character (for example, 12345.XLS), the filename portion of the formula must be enclosed in single quotation marks (').

For example, the numeric character 

  12345.XLS
would appear as the following: 

   ='12345.XLS'!$A$1
Excel reads the first character to the right of the equal sign to determine if what follows is a calculation or is the first character of an external reference.

If the single quotation marks are omitted, the message "Error in formula" will be displayed when the formula is entered.

If double quotation marks are used, Excel will interpret the formula as a text string.

KBCategory: kbother
KBSubcategory:

Additional reference words: 2.00 2.0 2.01 2.1 2.10 2.2 2.21 2.20 3.00
3.0 4.00 4.0

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY.

Last reviewed: October 31, 1994
© 1998 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Terms of Use.