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How to use/reference value from previous worksheet in Excel?

How to reference a specific cell value from previous worksheet when creating a copy in Excel? For example, when creating a copy of Sheet2, you may want to automatically reference cell A1 of Sheet2 into the new copied worksheet (says Sheet3). How to achieve it? This article will help you.

Use/reference value from previous worksheet with User-defined function
Use/reference value from previous worksheet with Kutools for Excel

Use/reference value from previous worksheet with User-defined function

To be honest, no method can automatically reference certain cell value when creating a copy of a worksheet. Actually, you can create a new sheet and then reference the cell value from previous worksheet with the following user-defined function.

1. After creating a new blank worksheet (says Sheet3), please press Alt + F11 keys at the same time to open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

2. In the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window, click Insert > Module. Then copy and paste the following VBA code into the Code window.

VBA: Use/reference value from previous worksheet in Excel

Function PrevSheet(RCell As Range)
    Dim xIndex As Long
    Application.Volatile
    xIndex = RCell.Worksheet.Index
    If xIndex > 1 Then _
        PrevSheet = Worksheets(xIndex - 1).Range(RCell.Address)
End Function

3. Press the Alt + Q keys simultaneously to close the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications window.

4. Select a blank cell of Sheet3 (says A1), enter formula =PrevSheet(A1) into the Formula Bar and then press the Enter key.

Now you will get the A1 cell value of previous worksheet (Sheet2) in current worksheet.

Note: The code will auto identify the worksheet which belongs to the previous one of current worksheet.

Use/reference value from previous worksheet with Kutools for Excel

With the Dynamically Refer to Worksheets utility of Kutools for Excel, you can easily use or reference value from previous worksheet in Excel.

Before applying Kutools for Excel, please download and install it firstly.

1. If you want to reference value of cell A1 from previous worksheet to current worksheet, please select cell A1 in current worksheet and then click Kutools > More > Dynamically Refer to Worksheets. See screenshot:

2. In the Fill Worksheets References dialog box, only check the previous worksheet name in the Worksheet list box, and then click the Fill Range button.

Then you can see the value of cell A1 in previous worksheet is referenced in current worksheet.

Note: With this utility, you can reference the same cell value from different worksheets into current worksheet at once.

  If you want to have a free trial ( 30-day) of this utility, please click to download it, and then go to apply the operation according above steps.

Use/reference value from previous worksheet with Kutools for Excel

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Comments (19)
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NC
NC
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Hello I have a question for the experts. I am able to make a reference to previous sheet. But i would like to keep repeating that reference throughout the workbook on the same cell on the next sheets. (ie D13) Example: Sheet 1 Cell D13 is repeated in the next sheets with 1 incremental value each. However if i delete sheet 7 or any other sheet, i need excel to continue counting the same way. for example sheet 1 I start with 100 sheet 20, I end up with 119 if i delete couple sheets , i want to make sure that references change automatically without manual intervention. Meaning that reference on D13 is changed automatically after I delete sheets. Thank you for your help.
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Steve Bannister
Steve Bannister
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Excellent work and explanation. Saved me so much time, thank you VERY much.
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Ryan
Ryan
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I've been looking for something to do this forever, thank you so much you have no idea. I have a simple spreadsheet for data entry weekly and a new tab for each week. the days, date, week #, etc goes +1 and then it grabs from previous sheet and moves to new one, this created a fast solution to data transfering to different sheets--- Again thank you
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crystal
crystal     Ryan
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Good Day,
Sorry I can’t help with this, you can post your question in our forum: https://www.extendoffice.com/forum.html to get more Excel supports from our professional.
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Alex
Alex
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What about use value from Next Sheet?
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crystal
crystal     Alex
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Hi Alex,
To get the value from next Sheet, please replace the minus sign with plus sign in the sixh line of the code:
PrevSheet = Worksheets(xIndex + 1).Range(RCell.Address)
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Mav
Mav     crystal
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Hi Crystal, I tried replacing the minus sign with a plus sign but it didn't work - the relevant cell just returned a zero. I'm just wanting the change(s) required to do exactly as above BUT with the workbook numbering going from right to left, ie. Sheet3, Sheet 2, Sheet1 (the previous sheet will be the one to the right). Thanks
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crystal
crystal     Mav
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Hi Mav,
The method works based on the worksheets' order in your workbook. ie. The worksheets order from left to right are Sheet3, Sheet2 and Sheet1. For Sheet2, it's previous worksheet is Sheet3, and it's next worksheet is Sheet1.
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Mav
Mav     crystal
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Hi Crystal,
Yes I know. My query (like Alex's) is what change is required to make it work the other way, ie, for the next sheet, where the next sheet is to the left of the preceding sheet? You wrote to Alex,
"please replace the minus sign with plus sign in the sixh line of the code:
PrevSheet = Worksheets(xIndex + 1).Range(RCell.Address)".
My comment was just to say that that particular change did not work and to ask if you have a way that will actually work.
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Andrew
Andrew
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I followed steps 1-4 but I keep returning a #NAME? error - Please advise?
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crystal
crystal     Andrew
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Hi Andrew,
Which Office version do you use?
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Anon
Anon
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I followed steps 1-4, but I keep getting a #NAME error. Excel 2016. Please advise?
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crystal
crystal     Anon
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Hi Anon,
The code works well in my Excel 2016. Did you find specific error reminded in your code window when getting the #NAME error result?
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Rudy
Rudy
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I tried the code but it returns formulas not allowed. The cell of the previous worksheet is a result of a formula., how do you bypass the formula and return the result? The previous sheet cell returns the formula of =SUM(L38:L39)-L40
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crystal
crystal     Rudy
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Hi RudyT,I tested it in the circumstance you mentioned, but I have no problem here. Which Excel version are you using?
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rudyT
rudyT     crystal
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Wow, that was 3 months ago, but surely appreciate the reply...

I don't know how to check Excel 365... The problem is I have a a value that I want to pass to new sheet, that must read, get value of previous sheet without naming it. Just get the previous sheet value. Your code passes the code of the previous sheet, and not the value. Because the value of the cell is a formula that gathers the totals from 2 other cells.
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srinath
srinath
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Excellent I have used previous sheet function, but, if i do any additions of rows or columns in previous sheet, the values are getting change I want constant result. for example if i select =prevsheet(A6) where the value is there, but in the previous sheet if I add one row the value will go to A7, but in current sheet it is taking the value of A6 only, can u help me
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Sh
Sh
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Excellent!!! VBA code thanks a lot
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YU
YU
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THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH! VERY HELPFUL!
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