"cascading" Cell References

All:

Have an excell spreadsheet with some fairly extensive formulas and relationships.

To try and summarize:

Sheet1: Carries a table with upwards of 35 columns and at least that many rows.

Sheet2: Carries a series of calculations based on Sheet1 data.

Sheet3: Carreis a series of calculations based on Sheet1 data.
(and so on, and so on, and so on...)

My problem is that within Sheet2 I have a cell reference (=C23).

What I want to do is execute a formula in C23 and display the results in the referencing cell too.

That will allow me to use the REFERENCE to C23 in a subsequent calculation later on.

(As I type this I must admit the description sounds quite redundant; why not simply calculate directly against C23 in the later step. Hopefully readers can accept that this is logical to the actual business model for the data. )

Anyway...

In processing data it is common to need to evalaute a given dataset in
Sheet1 and then to clear that data and evaluate a new data set.

That new data set will require a PASTE function to occur in C23.

Now the problem...

When ever I paste into C23 the referenceing cell does not display the new data --- instead it displays a reference error (#REF!).

I have tried altering (=C23) from RELATIVE to ABSOLUTE reference (=$C$23); but that does not seem to help.

I thought that in this case the simple ref to a single cell would be enough; but I am finding no.

Does anyone have any suggestions how to paste into C23 and maintain the reference later in the spreadsheet?

Thank-you in advance for all input / suggestions!!!