Number of Characters for a formula

  • Thread starter Fred Djinn Holstings
  • Start date
F

Fred Djinn Holstings

I was wondering if there is a maximum number of characters that a formula can
be?

Like 255 or 360??

Thanks.
Fred
 
F

Fred Djinn Holstings

What can I do if I have a formula that greatly exceeds that limit? If there a
way I can store portions of the formula in different areas and then do some
sort of concatenation?
 
D

Dave F

You can split a formula up among separate cells, and have each cell perform
its own calculation. Then, in another cell, reference those two (or three)
cells for your final calculation.

Also, you could download the Trial version of XL 2007, which greatly
increases the length of XL formulas.

Finally, you could describe what you're trying to do in a response to this
post, and perhaps someone can come up with a more efficient way of getting
done what you're trying to do. Frankly, I have never seen a legitimate need
for an exceptionally long formula, in which there was no way to accomplish
the same thing in a more compact syntax. Of course, I can be proven wrong
here.

Dave
 
P

pinmaster

Hi,

One possible solution would be to use named ranges. Let's say you wanted to
lookup a cell from the range A1:B100 of the worksheet named January, the
normal formula would be =VLOOKUP(A1,January!A1:B100,2,0) but if you name that
range say "rng1" then it could be shorten to =VLOOKUP(A1,rng1,2,0), this is
just an example but if you have to reference another sheet in your formula 4
or 5 times it would shorten it quite a bit.

HTH
Jean-Guy
 
F

Fred Djinn Holstings

That sounds promising but if you would could you explain what some of the
sections mean?

=VLOOKUP(A1,January!A1:B100,2,0) -- What does the first A1 mean? I get the
January!A1:B100 but what does the ,2,0 mean and what if I have multiple cell
to lookup/reference? Like I brake the code up into five sections so that I
have a sheet named DataCode and cell b3 has one fifth of the code b4 has the
second section and so forth?


Thanks Much!
Fred
 
P

pinmaster

Hi,

The formula I gave was only meant as an example to show how using named
ranges could reduce the lenght of the formula, it was not meant as a
suggestion since we don't know what you're trying to do. Perhaps if you
posted your original formula, people might get a better understanding of what
your trying to do. If you want to learn more about named ranges check the
link below.

http://www.contextures.com/xlNames01.html

HTH
Jean-Guy
 
Top