Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Ranges on Multiple Worksheets.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 12, 2020)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Most everyone knows that if you want to refer to a range of cells, you simply specify the beginning and ending point of the range and then separate those points by a colon. For instance, the following formula would return the sum of all cells in the range A1 through C4:
=SUM(A1:C4)
You may not know, however, how you can refer to the same cell or range of cells on a range of multiple worksheets in your workbook. For instance, you may want a cell to return the sum of each cell A1 on the first three worksheets in your workbook. If the worksheets are named Sheet1, Sheet2, and Sheet3, then the formula would appear as follows:
=SUM(Sheet1:Sheet3!A1)
Similarly, if you wanted the sum of all cells in the range A1 through C4 on each of the same worksheets, you would use the following formula:
=SUM(Sheet1:Sheet3!A1:C4)
At times this notation can be a bit difficult to remember. You can easily use the mouse to build such a range by following these steps:
Your formula should now be complete, with the desired range in place.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11803) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Ranges on Multiple Worksheets.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
Insert a symbol into a cell, and it should stay there, right? What if the symbol changes to another character, such as a ...
Discover MorePaste information into a worksheet, and you may be surprised to see leading zeroes disappear before your eyes. Here's how ...
Discover MoreWhen editing information in a cell, you may need to know the result of a portion of your formula. The shortcut described ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2024-08-25 12:09:12
J. Woolley
My previous comment below mentions My Excel Toolbox's MAXIF and MINIF, which are missing from Excel; however, Excel 2019 includes MAXIFS and MINIFS, which are similar to MAXIF and MINIF.
2020-12-12 11:24:56
J. Woolley
These are often called 3D range references. My Excel Toolbox has several freely available functions that support such references but are not included in Excel: COUNTBLANK3D, COUNTIF3D, SUMIF3D, AVERAGEIF3D, MAXIF3D, and MINIF3D. The last two are supported by MAXIF and MINIF, which are also missing from Excel. See https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox/
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2026 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
Comments