ReferenceFunctionsReference Functions
INDIRECT
INDIRECT: Converts text into a reference and returns the referenced value or range.
Summary
INDIRECT lets formulas build references dynamically from strings such as "A1" or
"Sheet2!B3:C5".
Remarks
a1_styledefaults toTRUE(A1 style parsing).a1_style=FALSE(R1C1 parsing) is currently not implemented and returns#N/IMPL!.- Invalid or unresolved references return
#REF!. - The function is volatile because target references can change without direct dependency links.
Examples
Resolve a direct cell reference
Grid
| Cell | Value | |
|---|---|---|
Formula
=
Result
Not evaluated yet.
Expected
99
Resolve a range and aggregate it
Grid
| Cell | Value | |
|---|---|---|
Formula
=
Result
Not evaluated yet.
Expected
21
Related functions
FAQ
What happens if a1_style is FALSE?
R1C1 parsing is not implemented here yet, so INDIRECT(...,FALSE) returns #N/IMPL!.
How are bad reference strings reported?
If the text cannot be parsed or resolved to a valid reference, INDIRECT returns #REF!.
Runtime metadata
Category
Reference Fns
Signature
INDIRECT(arg1: Text, arg2?: Logical | Number)Arity
min 1, max 2
Arguments
arg1Text · Scalar
arg2optionaldefaultLogical | Number · Scalar · coercion Logical
Caps
PUREVOLATILERETURNS_REFERENCEDYNAMIC_DEPENDENCY
Source