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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 (22)
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This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hi, Your code works perfectly! The intent for me is to fill a column on one of the worksheets which would update a linear graph. My question is, how do I add the new number entered on a new worksheet, while still maintaining the numbers the same of the previous sheets. For example, I entered PrevSheet(A1) on Sheet 2, which takes the number for A1 cell from Sheet 1. So I went to cell A2 of Sheet 2, and entered PrevSheet(A1) again. The intent is if I copy and paste a new sheet (Let's call it Sheet N), and I update cell A1 in Sheet N with a different value, Sheet 2 will have the value from Sheet 1 in cell A1, and the Value from Sheet N in cell A1 in cell A2. But what happens is that is updates both cell A1 and A2 in Sheet 2 to the same values as in Sheet N. This makes sense because it's taking the values from the previous sheet. Hope I didn't confuse you. Thanks!
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hey.

I'm using Greek Office 365 with all updates installed, and I can't get this to work.

It returns name error at the cell I input =PrevSheet(A1).

Both sheets have the vba code and the file is saved as .xlsb

Any clues?
Thanks in advance :)
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hi Sotos,
You need to put the VBA in the Module (code) window (press the Alt + F11 keys to open the Visual Editor, click Insert > Module to add a new Module editor, and the enter the code). Then apply the formula.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH! VERY HELPFUL!
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Excellent!!! VBA code thanks a lot
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
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
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
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
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hi RudyT,I tested it in the circumstance you mentioned, but I have no problem here. Which Excel version are you using?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
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.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
I followed steps 1-4, but I keep getting a #NAME error. Excel 2016. Please advise?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
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?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
I followed steps 1-4 but I keep returning a #NAME? error - Please advise?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hi Andrew,
Which Office version do you use?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
What about use value from Next Sheet?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
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)
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
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
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
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.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
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.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
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
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
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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