Trying to use COUNTIFS to count prior year orders in a current month

Good morning all,

I have a spreadsheet that tracks open/closed orders. One of the tasks of this spreadsheet is to determine how many orders were closed or canceled in the current month that were opened in prior years.

Some background:

One tab per month (jan, feb, etc.)

I track orders closed during the month.

I want to count the number of orders closed that were opened in a prior year. (ex: 2015).

I have a separate tab created that I use for data validation purposes. On this tab, I have created cells that contain the prior years that I am interested in tracking.

I am trying to use the COUNTIFS formula with a cell reference to my data validation tab, but the cell reference is not working and thus my reason for posting.

Perhaps I cannot accomplish my task with the COUNTIFS formula.

Any suggestions as to how this can be accomplished? I did not save my spreadsheet with the formula I was trying to use. I am now going back and retrying the formula and will post what I am trying in a bit. In the mean time, if anyone has any idea of how to easily do this, please let me know.

Thanks in advance.

Here is a sample of the formula I am working with:

=COUNTIFS(d3:d300, ">="Data!&j2,d3:d300,"<="Data!&k2) where j2 is the first day of the desired year and k2 is the last day of the desired year. I need to be able to use cell referencing in order to allow minimal changes to the spreadsheet when the year rolls.

LOL...thanks Tony....I think I got blinded by the forest and could not see the trees. Simply moving the & to the correct spot seems to do what I needed. Thanks again.