will introduce you to the exciting new pivot table features in Excel 2007. Create quick summaries and pivot charts, add impact with traffic light icons, design calculated fields, group dates and numbers.
An Absolute Nightmare in Excel
Well, I should have been working all day, but decided to take a bit of time to relax and catch up on some reading (of RSS feeds). At the Lost in Technology blog, was a link to XtraNormal, where you can write, cast and direct an animated movie. That sounded like more fun than working, so off I went.
And here’s the first (and probably last) installment in Excel Theatre. Please note the giant spreadsheet in the background. I think it adds to the tension in this dramatic presentation. Just so you know – the dialog is corny, the actors are wooden, the plot is weak and the costumes are pitiful. Other than that, it’s pretty good. 
Note: The animated actors had a tough time pronouncing INDIRECT, so I had to spell it IN DIE WRECKED in the script, to make it understandable. Fortunately, that seemed to help, and the key word is clearer in the video now.
The INDIRECT Function
If you haven’t used INDIRECT before, it’s a formula that returns a reference to a range, based on a text string. As the video pointed out, you can use an absolute reference to a cell, to “lock” the reference, and keep if from changing if you copy the formula to a different cell. However, if the referenced cell moves, the absolute reference changes to match the new location.
For example, in the screenshot below, cell C2 contains an absolute reference to cell A1, and cell C3 contains an INDIRECT formula that refers to cell A1.
If you insert a blank row at the top of the worksheet, the formula in cell C2 changes, and it now refers to cell A2. Because it’s a text string, the reference in the INDIRECT formula doesn’t change. It returns a zero because cell A1 is now empty.
Using the INDIRECT Function
You can use INDIRECT in dependent data validation lists, or to prevent a cell reference from being affected by a move, or create cell references from a combination of cell values and text.
For more information on the INDIRECT function, and examples of how to use it, please visit the INDIRECT Function page on my website.
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June 10th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Simply awesome.
June 10th, 2009 at 11:30 am
That’s great! Curious though… how long did it take you to produce this?
June 10th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Thanks Dick! I might abandon programming and become a director.
I didn’t keep track, but it was probably about 1-1/2 hours. Most of that was experimenting with the tools for the first time. Once you’re familiar with them, it would be pretty quick. Just type the dialog, add a few camera and action tools, and publish it.
Ken, this is art — you can’t measure it in time.
June 10th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
Wouldn’t that be a DIE WRECK TOR?
June 11th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
I was not familiar with this function, and as useful as this new info is, it pales next to the cool video. Thanks!
June 11th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Thanks Billy, it was fun to make.
June 12th, 2009 at 7:24 pm
One dear full!
June 12th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
Dug, Tank Ewe!
June 15th, 2009 at 12:05 am
[...] An Absolute Nightmare in Excel [...]
June 28th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Debra,
Besides being a helful entry, the video is really sweet. Less folks now will die in wrecks…
June 28th, 2009 at 9:22 pm
Thanks Robert, I’m doing what I can to make the world safe for Excel users.
July 1st, 2009 at 5:53 am
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.