Direct vs indirect referencing
The INDIRECT function
The Excel INDIRECT function returns a reference specified by a text string.
SYNTAX: INDIRECT(ref_text, [a1])
Figure 1 shows examples of the INDIRECT function (two stage), and a direct reference (one stage). The custom GetCF function is used to show the cell formula.
- Cell D5:
=B2
, this is a direct, one stage reference to B2, and the formula returns the value 1 - Cell D11:
=INDIRECT(F7)
, where cellF7
contains the text string B8. Without the INDIRECT function,D11
would display the text string B8, but the INDIRECT function points to cellB8
and returns the value 7
When to use the INDIRECT function
The INDIRECT function is often used in conjunction with the concatenation operator (&) to construct references from labels. For example =VLOOKUP($A14,INDIRECT(B$13&".ax!"&B$13),8,FALSE)
from the link at xlf Vlookup w/ indirect
INDIRECT allows R1C1 reference style in A1 workbook
Using the INDIRECT function is one way of using R1C1 reference style in an A1 workbook, or A1 reference style in an R1C1 workbook.
Download the file: xlf-indirect-function.xlsx [12 KB]
- This example was developed in Excel 2013 Pro 64 bit.
- Published: 17 March 2015
- Revised: Saturday 25th of February 2023 - 10:13 AM, [Australian Eastern Standard Time (EST)]