# Excel Q: enter info into a cell from a different worksheet
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-q-enter-info-into-a-cell-from-a-different-worksheet/334353
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [December 6, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-q-enter-info-into-a-cell-from-a-different-worksheet/334353 "2005-12-06T14:55:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-q-enter-info-into-a-cell-from-a-different-worksheet/334353/1 "2005-12-06T14:55:30Z")
I have this spreadsheet I have to do once a month. It contains payment info from insurance companies. It’s a single worksheet and there are subtotals for each insurance company (number of companies and transactions can vary month-to-month).
I decided to make one giant spreadsheet with 12 tabs instead with a grand total tab at the end.
The grand total tab will have just the insurance company’s name and the total for the month and the grand total for each month and company.
Like this:
…Jan Feb … Dec…Total for ins co
Ins co. ......
Ins co.
.
.
.
.
… total for months… Grand total
How can I insert the monthly total from the individual tabs for each ins co into the grand total page?
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-q-enter-info-into-a-cell-from-a-different-worksheet/334353/2 "2005-12-06T15:00:02Z")
You just mean this? tabname!$A$2
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### Author:  [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2005, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-q-enter-info-into-a-cell-from-a-different-worksheet/334353/3 "2005-12-06T15:04:02Z")
I think you just highlight the blank cell, type “=”, go to the sheet with the info you want transferred, highlight that cell, hit enter.
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### Author:  [@Tomcat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tomcat)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2005, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-q-enter-info-into-a-cell-from-a-different-worksheet/334353/4 "2005-12-06T15:07:35Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#):
>
> You just mean this? tabname!$A$2
Actually, to be more precise, it is =tabname!$A$2
Also, if you ever need to link to another .xls file completely (actually, to any cell anywhere, even on the same page), there is a button called ‘Paste Link’ under Edit → Paste Special…
Go to the cell(s) you want to link to, highlight them, do CTRL-C or Edit -\> Copy, then go to the place where you want the links and Edit -\> Paste Special -\> ‘Paste Link’ button.
-Tcat
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### Author:  [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2005, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-q-enter-info-into-a-cell-from-a-different-worksheet/334353/5 "2005-12-06T15:10:15Z")
I knew I could count on you guys!!
Thanks, that’ll save me a lot of time!
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### Author:  [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)
#### Post date: [December 6, 2005, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/excel-q-enter-info-into-a-cell-from-a-different-worksheet/334353/6 "2005-12-06T15:34:15Z")
> [@Tomcat](#):
>
> . . .there is a button called ‘Paste Link’ under Edit → Paste Special…
Never knew that. But let me share an alternative, even though it looks like the OP is answered. If you open the workbook (file) you want to reference, you can do the same thing that was described by **Hampshire** for referencing a cell in another worksheet (tab). In the destination, type “=”, then switch to the other file, locate the desired cell, and hit Enter.