This is an example of natural language formulas.

To enable it:
Choose ToolsOptions, and on the Calculation tab, add a check mark to
'Accept labels in formulas'
Then, you can refer to the column and row headings of table on the same
worksheet.

So, if you have a table with a heading "Connie", you can enter =Connie
in a cell, and the result will be the first value of the Connie column.
To sum that column, =SUM(Connie)

There's more information in this Microsoft article:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/279412/en-us

It's better to use named ranges, instead of depending on natural
language formuals.

anthony wrote:
i have a worksheet in xl2003 that accepts very crazy formulas and gives
equally weird answers. for example the following formulaes appear valid

=connie
=don
=lucky

these formulae give results that i dnt understand.
any one ever come across such??
i can send u a screen grab or the full worksheet to your email



--
Debra Dalgleish
Contextures
http://www.contextures.com/tiptech.html