To refer to a cell in a different workbook, use this format:

=[WorkbookName]SheetName!CellAddress

In this case, the workbook name (in square brackets), the worksheet name, and an exclamation point precede the cell address. The following is an example of a formula that uses a cell reference in the Sheet1 worksheet in a workbook named Budget:

=[Budget.xlsx]Sheet1!A1

If the workbook name in the reference includes one or more spaces, you must enclose it (and the sheet name) in single quotation marks. For example, here’s a formula that refers to a cell on Sheet1 in a workbook named Budget For 2008:

=A1*’[Budget For 2008.xlsx]Sheet1’!A1

When a formula refers to cells in a different workbook, the other workbook doesn’t have to be open. If the workbook is closed, however, you must add the complete path to the reference so that Excel can find it. Here’s an example:

=A1*’C:\My Documents\[Budget For 2008.xlsx]Sheet1’!A1

A linked file can also reside on another system that’s accessible on your corporate network. The formula below, for example, refers to a cell in a workbook in the files directory of a computer named DataServer.

=’\\DataServer\files\[budget.xlsx]Sheet1’!$D$7

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