I have a small but frustrating problem with an excel formula. I have a
formula that is adding a bunch of cells (cells are not in a range). The
original formula was something like =A2+A5+A8+A11 etc. It's a long one.
When I entered the original formula, it highligted each cell reference in a
different color and highlighted that cell the same color. I like that
feature because, if I insert rows, it's easy for me to double click the
formula cell, and then scroll up a see if there is a cell that isn't
highlighted that needs to be added to the formula. Here's the problem.
Recently, when I try to add a cell to that formula, the highlighting goes
away. I double click the formula cell, then insert a cell reference where I
need to. But when I type the first "+" all the numbers and letters in the
formula turn black. No more highlighing, even when I click out and back into
that cell. What am I doing wrong??? Thanks.

Hi!

You're not doing anything wrong.

I tried building a formula like that and after the 32nd reference the cells
and references stopped highlighting but the formula returned the correct
result. There obviously must be a limit to the number of references that
will highlight and 32 seems to be that limit.

If your formula follows the pattern:

=A2+A5+A8+A11+A14+A17+A20

Then you can use a formula like this (which I'm sure is much shorter than
the formula you're describing):

=SUMPRODUCT(--(MOD(ROW(A1:A50),3)=2),A1:A50)

Biff

"Jen" wrote in message
...
I have a small but frustrating problem with an excel formula. I have a
formula that is adding a bunch of cells (cells are not in a range). The
original formula was something like =A2+A5+A8+A11 etc. It's a long
one.
When I entered the original formula, it highligted each cell reference in
a
different color and highlighted that cell the same color. I like that
feature because, if I insert rows, it's easy for me to double click the
formula cell, and then scroll up a see if there is a cell that isn't
highlighted that needs to be added to the formula. Here's the problem.
Recently, when I try to add a cell to that formula, the highlighting goes
away. I double click the formula cell, then insert a cell reference where
I
need to. But when I type the first "+" all the numbers and letters in the
formula turn black. No more highlighing, even when I click out and back
into
that cell. What am I doing wrong??? Thanks.