I have lived with this too long now. When I insert a formula into a cell the
calculation is taken literally as I typed it. But if I want to apply this
same formula to alot of cells I either cut and past or drag the cell contents
to the cells that I wish to apply the formula to. Excel tries to modify the
arguments assuming that the arguments that I used in the formula are
relative. But I frequently run into the situation where part of the formula
is a constant and I don't want Excel to modify the row or column that is used
just take the row and column as a constant. For example right now I define a
cell function as =POISSON(A1,A32,TRUE). If I copy this formula to another
cell the first argument (the x value) is modified to say A2. This is OK. But
the problem is that the second argument (A32) is changed to A33 and that
should be constant. So instead of =POISSON(A2,A32,TRUE) I get
==POISSON(A2,A33,TRUE) etc. How can I disable this automatic argument
adjustment?

Thank you.

Kevin

You could use an absolute address:

=POISSON(A1,$A$32,TRUE)

The $ "fixes" that portion of the address so it won't adjust when the formula is
copied to other cells.

Kevin Burton wrote:

I have lived with this too long now. When I insert a formula into a cell the
calculation is taken literally as I typed it. But if I want to apply this
same formula to alot of cells I either cut and past or drag the cell contents
to the cells that I wish to apply the formula to. Excel tries to modify the
arguments assuming that the arguments that I used in the formula are
relative. But I frequently run into the situation where part of the formula
is a constant and I don't want Excel to modify the row or column that is used
just take the row and column as a constant. For example right now I define a
cell function as =POISSON(A1,A32,TRUE). If I copy this formula to another
cell the first argument (the x value) is modified to say A2. This is OK. But
the problem is that the second argument (A32) is changed to A33 and that
should be constant. So instead of =POISSON(A2,A32,TRUE) I get
==POISSON(A2,A33,TRUE) etc. How can I disable this automatic argument
adjustment?

Thank you.

Kevin

--

Dave Peterson

An easy way to insert those $ signs is the F4 key. When entering or editing a formula, if the cursor is on a cell reference,
pressing F4 toggles variations of the relative/absolute references.

--
Kind regards,

Niek Otten
Microsoft MVP - Excel

"Dave Peterson" wrote in message ...
| You could use an absolute address:
|
| =POISSON(A1,$A$32,TRUE)
|
| The $ "fixes" that portion of the address so it won't adjust when the formula is
| copied to other cells.
|
| Kevin Burton wrote:
|
| I have lived with this too long now. When I insert a formula into a cell the
| calculation is taken literally as I typed it. But if I want to apply this
| same formula to alot of cells I either cut and past or drag the cell contents
| to the cells that I wish to apply the formula to. Excel tries to modify the
| arguments assuming that the arguments that I used in the formula are
| relative. But I frequently run into the situation where part of the formula
| is a constant and I don't want Excel to modify the row or column that is used
| just take the row and column as a constant. For example right now I define a
| cell function as =POISSON(A1,A32,TRUE). If I copy this formula to another
| cell the first argument (the x value) is modified to say A2. This is OK. But
| the problem is that the second argument (A32) is changed to A33 and that
| should be constant. So instead of =POISSON(A2,A32,TRUE) I get
| ==POISSON(A2,A33,TRUE) etc. How can I disable this automatic argument
| adjustment?
|
| Thank you.
|
| Kevin
|
| --
|
| Dave Peterson