Sumifs formula without menu typing date

[bambi ang]

I would like to find out product A qty before the date-1/1/13.

01/01/13
PRODUCTS(1111) YEAR QTY
A 01/01/10 22
B 01/01/11 20
C 01/01/10 26
A 01/01/11 10
B 01/01/13 20
A 01/01/14 26

1) answer:32-SUMIFS(C:C,A:A,"A",B:B,"<1/1/2013")-it can find out the figure,but i don't want to type the date in formula.
2) answer:0-SUMIFS(C:C,A:A,E4,B:B,<A1)-what's wrong on this formula, it can't figure out the answer.

Thanks a lot if you can solve on it.

[BadlySpelledBuoy]

=sumifs(c:c,a:a,e4,b:b,"<"&a1)

[hemesh]

try using "<"&A1