Newbie -How do you lock a range of cells to sum when shifting data?

[travelguy]

I'm new to this forum. If I have a cell, say D5, and I want to add what was in D4, and then add b5 and subtract c5, I can easily do that. Then, in D6, the sum would be +D5+b6-c6, and so on. The problem is when I move data in b and c from/to different rows, the sum function for D does not carry as in above. The sum function changes to reflect the data in the b and c rows that i moved around.

I want to lock the sum as above in d column, in each sequential row, regardless of how the data is moved around in b and c.

Please help.

 

[Domenic]

Is this what you mean?

=SUM(D5,INDIRECT("B6"),-INDIRECT("C6"))

Note that INDIRECT is a volatile function. Volatile functions recalculate each time a change of data occurs in any cell on any worksheet, regardless of whether a cell they are referencing has changed. As a result, recalculation times can be prolonged.

 

[mikerickson]

Perhaps Absolute and Relative References would solve your problem.
If so, Help can give you guidance.