Move or copy a formula
When you move a formula, the cell references within the formula do not change. When you copy a formula, absolute cell references do not change; relative cell references will change. For more information about absolute and relative references, click .
Select the cell that contains the formula you want to move or copy.
Point to the border of the selection.
To move the cell, drag the selection to the upper-left cell of the paste area. Microsoft Excel replaces any existing data in the paste area.
To copy the cell, hold down CTRL as you drag.
Tip You can also copy formulas into adjacent cells by using the fill handle. Select the cell that contains the formula, and then drag the fill handle over the range you want to fill.
*** Absolute cell reference= exact address that does not move when copied – denoted by $ as in $A$1 . Can mix references as in A$1.
Concatenation symbol for Excel is the sign ‘&’
And random Date Functions formula: =DATE(YEAR(A33), MONTH(A33)+1, DAY(A33))
Excel Function Listing and Index: http://www.meadinkent.co.uk/xlidx.htm
For Open Office Calc, use $:
Addresses and References, Absolute and Relative
Relative Addressing
The cell in column A, row 1 is addressed as A1. You can address a range of adjacent cells by first entering the coordinates of the upper left cell of the area, then a colon followed by the coordinates of the lower right cell. For example, the square formed by the first four cells in the upper left corner is addressed as A1:B2.
By addressing an area in this way, you are making a relative reference to A1:B2. Relative here means that the reference to this area will be adjusted automatically when you copy the formulas.
Absolute Addressing
Absolute references are the opposite of relative addressing. A dollar sign is placed before each letter and number in an absolute reference, for example, $A$1:$B$2.
OpenOffice.org can convert the current reference, in which the cursor is positioned in the input line, from relative to absolute and vice versa by pressing Shift +F4. If you start with a relative address such as A1, the first time you press this key combination, both row and column are set to absolute references ($A$1). The second time, only the row (A$1), and the third time, only the column ($A1). If you press the key combination once more, both column and row references are switched back to relative (A1)
OpenOffice.org Calc shows the references to a formula. If, for example you click the formula =SUM(A1:C5;D15:D24) in a cell, the two referenced areas in the sheet will be highlighted in color. For example, the formula component “A1:C5″ may be in blue and the cell range in question bordered in the same shade of blue. The next formula component “D15:D24″ can be marked in red in the same way.