Excel keeps randomly changing my formulas for no apparent reason!

thanks Pete.

Do you think there is a preferential way - I've just changed all my formulas to include the "indirect" and it seems to work now (thank goodness). Do you think that the e:e, i:i way would work betteR?

Thanks again for your help!

The INDIRECT function is volatile, which means the formula will be calculated whenever there is a change on the workbook - this could slow the workbook down. Using full-column references is fine, as the COUNTIF function is clever enough to only use the used range. And, the formula is simpler.

Hope this helps.

Pete

P.S. If that takes care of your original question, please select Thread Tools from the menu above your first post and mark this thread as SOLVED.

Also, since you are relatively new to the forum, I would like to inform you that you can directly thank those who have helped you by clicking on the small "star" icon located in the lower left corner of a post that you have found to be helpful (not just in this thread - for any post that has helped you). This also adds to the reputation of the poster (the small green bars in the poster's profile).

Pete