"indirect" question

[itty]

I have one workbook named cost summary and another few workbook with detailed costing of each items. I need to take three cell from each detailed costing file and put it in the costing summary. I tried excel function INDIRECT and it is working well. The problem is all my detaied costing files need to be open, else my summary sheet returns #REF!. Is there any way aorund to solve this? Please help!! Thanks and regards in advance.
Itty

[davesexcel]

lots of posts on getting data from closed workbooks,
VBA is involved though

http://j-walk.com/ss/excel/tips/tip82.htm
http://www.ozgrid.com/VBA/ExtractFromClosedWorkbook.htm
http://www.exceltip.com/st/Import_da...Excel/429.html

and of course

http://www.rondebruin.nl/ado.htm