When you see those squiggly brackets { } around a formula it means that that
formula is an array formula.

Array formulas are entered differently than a regular formula. After you
type in a regular formula you hit the ENTER key. With an array formula you
*must* use a combination of keys. Those keys are the CTRL key, the SHIFT key
and the ENTER key. That is, hold down both the CTRL key and the SHIFT key
then hit the ENTER key.

When done properly Excel will enclose the formula in the squiggly brackets
{ }. You can't just type these brackets in, you *must* use the key combo to
produce them. Also, anytime you edit an array formula it *must* be
re-entered as an array using the key combo.

--
Biff
Microsoft Excel MVP


"Gorgsey" wrote in message
...
Evening,

I've taken over a membership spreadsheet for a club. Part of the
spreadsheet ("report" sheet) produces a break down of the membership
dependant on where they work, splitting it further to the type of work.
I've
noticed that the "report" has missed a couple of trades, so I copied the
formula and changed the text to check for. The formula is as follows:

=SUM(IF(List!$K$3:$K517="shop",IF(List!$F$3:$F517= "assistant",1,0)))

I want to sum the people that work in the shop but are cleaners, so I
changed assistant to cleaners, and although there are 3 in the list the
formula displays a zero. If I view the formula by pressing the "insert
function" button it says it should return a 3 but still displays a zero
when
I close insert function page. One thing I have noticed is that all the
formulas in the "report" sheet have { at the start (before the = sign)
and }
at the end. When I put these on the copied formula it displays the whole
formula in the cell rather than the result of the formula.

The spreadsheet is something I've inherited so any help would be
appreciated.

Many thanks.