maybe this is just how it is? but it seems pretty silly.

Is there anyway to either get these values to actually look at the source to update? or atleast hold their last known value till the linked file is opened for an update?

It didnt start to act up till I put an offset onto the file link, I guess thats more than it can do without opening the file?

for an example

=IF(D$3="act",OFFSET('[Summary of January 2012_V2.xls]Assembly'!$A$74,0,MATCH($H$2,'[Summary of January 2012_V2.xls]Assembly'!$A$8:$AL$8,0)-1)/1000000,SUM(IF(D$5='W:\INVENTOR\2012 Operations\2012 Assembly\2012 Assembly Actuals\[12ProdFcstModel_6+6.xlsm]Chicago'!$J$6:$U$6,'W:\INVENTOR\2012 Operations\2012 Assembly\2012 Assembly Actuals\[12ProdFcstModel_6+6.xlsm]Chicago'!$J$54:$U$54,0)))
the whole offset reference pulls a #value if the 'summary of June 2012_V2.xls' is not open.