I have 1 master workbook and about 20 children workbooks. The children are
excel spreadsheets with several rows and columns of budget data. The master
workbook is one huge spreadsheet with all of the data from the other children
on one sheet. ALL WORKBOOKS ARE FORMATTED IDENTICALLY. I have esatblished
links in the master by using copy,paste link from each child workbook. I use
the master combined summary workbook sheet to run pivots.

Ocassionally I have to add rows/column to the children, which naturally
throw off the master. To avoid this, I have attempted to use the following
formula that i have obtained from this discussion it is:

IF(OFFSET([PracticeFile.xls]OIS FY09 Worksheet!
$A9$,ROW(A9)5,COLUMN(A9)5)=0," ",OFFSET( [PracticeFile.xls]OIS FY09
Worksheet!$9,COLUMN(A9)5))


the formula wont work. I am not sure why the first part of the formula is
supposed to =0 and what, if anything is supposed to go in the " " following
the 0. Further, i also received a filename message. The master is open.

Next will this formula work if the data on the children is all different but
formatted the same? Will using the number 5 in the formula move rows 5
spaces over, or will it be up to 5 spaces over. can i use+ - at the same time
in front of the 5(orwhatever # I use) so that it will move up or down or left
or right?
Please help I think I have printed everythig about formulas and the offset
function!