EXCEL FUNCTION – INDIRECT
Watch Excel Tutorial Video – Excel Function – Indirect
How to use “INDIRECT” function in Excel
INDIRECT function is used to convert the text/string into cell reference. Function provides output as the value of that cell reference.
INDIRECT Function has one required argument i.e. ref_text, and optional argument i.e.
Syntax:
=INDIRECT(ref_text, [a1])
Syntax Description:
ref_text argument is used to give the text/string that you want to convert into cell reference.
[a1] argument denotes that, what type of style is available in ref_text argument.
Example 1: INDIRECT function with various criteria:
Here, we have sample database and want to convert texts into cell reference:
- “Column A to B” has sales details,
- “Column D” shows the ref_text argument value, that is applied,
- “Column E” shows the sample formula applied,
- “Column F” shows the output of the function and,
- Explanation is provided in Columns “G”
We will be using INDIRECT function as follows:

Things to Remember:
– If no value or “TRUE” provided in [a1] argument, by default it considers ref_text as A1 style
– If [a1] argument is “FALSE” then it considers ref_text as R1C1 style
–A1 style means: columns are presented using letters (A-Z) and rows using numbers (1,2,3…)
–R1C1 style means: rows are presented using R1, R2, R3… and columns are presented using C1, C2, C3.
Hope you learnt this Function,
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