If A1 is empty, then
=A1
Will show a 0.

You can use something like:
=if(a1="","",a1)
or
=if('sheet 2'!a1="","",'sheet 2'!a1)
(when the "sending" cell is on another sheet.)


Steve wrote:

when I refer to a cell as a formula on another cell it gives out a zero but
the reference cell is not zero

--

Dave Peterson