The INDIRECT function can do this. It transforms any string containing a
range address to an actual reference that can be used by other functions.
For example,

If A1 contains "C3:C10" (without the quotes),
=SUM(INDIRECT(A1))
is the same as
=SUM(C3:C10)

You can also use INDIRECT to prevent Excel from modifying an address when a
row or column is inserted or deleted. For example

=SUM(INDIRECT("C3:C10"))

will sum the range C3:C10 and that reference will not change if rows and/or
columns are inserted/deleted. See also
http://www.cpearson.com/excel/indirect.htm for more into about the INDIRECT
function.


--
Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional
Excel Product Group, 1998 - 2008
Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
www.cpearson.com
(email on web site)


"Ollie4" wrote in message
...
Within excel 2003 you could use the - $ - sign for an absolute column
or row reference in a formula. The new 2007 table format gives a much
clearer reference but the reference seems to be relative for columns.
How do i make my tabel column references absolute?

note:
the new format is table1[[column1]] and looks like:
=sum(turnover[[january]])
instead of sum($B$2:$B$500).

=sum(turnover[[january]]) behaves relative. If i copy the formula to
the right and i also have a february column it becomes
=sum(turnover[[february]]).

Does anyone know how to make it absolute in a same way as the $-trick
so it won't shift to february?