The first suggestion works when there are numbers instead of cell references.
But as soon as I change to cell references, it won't work. Copy and paste
the

2 4 A1*B1
10*10
2*4
5*7
=LEFT(C1,FIND("*",C1)-1)*MID(C1,FIND("*",C1)+1,255)

Then click on the evaluate formula command. You can watch as Excel tries to
multiply "A1"*"B1". For some reason, Excel keeps putting quotations around
the cell references. I tried the second suggestion using two columns and I
had the same result.

I've got the formula down to ="[A]*[b]", but I can't get rid of the "". How
can I strip these ""s?

"T. Valko" wrote:

If your "formulas" are in the format:

12*10
10*10
2*4
5*7

=LEFT(A1,FIND("*",A1)-1)*MID(A1,FIND("*",A1)+1,255)

Another possibility:

Assume your "formulas" are in column A and you want the calculated value in
column B.

Create this named formula:
InsertNameDefine
Name: Calc
Refers to: =EVALUATE(INDIRECT("RC[-1]",0))
OK

Then, in column B enter this formula:

=Calc

--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


"TKS_Mark" wrote in message
...
The references the formulas are needing are from the sheet I'm doing the
lookup from. In other words, I store the formula [A]*[b] on sheet in a
row
with the duct definition. That reference sheet doesn't have the duct size
though. I only make this definition once.

On another sheet, I will lookup "duct" and know that the area of this duct
is [A]*[b]. So I need a column labeled "area" to automatically change
it's
formula based on my having selected "duct". I will have many different
sized
ducts and beams, etc, but I only want to make one formula that comes up
automatically.

I think I have the hard part done. It gives me the correct formula. But
the cell displays [A]*[b] (or =[A]*[b], depending on how I do it) instead
of
the results. (Like if A is 12 and B is 10, then the result should be 120.

"CLR" wrote:

Dont store the VLOOKUPs as TEXT, store them as regular
formulas...thenjust
reference the value they return and don't move the formula itself at
all......

Vaya con Dios,
Chuck, CABGx3



"TKS_Mark" wrote:

I want to lookup a formula in one sheet that I have stored as text and
use it
on another sheet. I know how to do the lookup and am able to bring the
correct formula based on other items in my =vlookup statement. But I
can't
get the formula to work in my table.

Ex: the result of my vlookup yields [a]*[b] instead of just
multiplying [a]
times [b] and giving the result. How can I make a looked up formula
work in
its new location? (I'm using tables, hence the [bracketed]
references.)