Microsoft KB Archive/76181

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Consolidate Function Doesn't Create Links to Blank Cells

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 3.x, 4.x, 5.0, 5.0c
 * Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 3.x, 4.x, 5.0, 5.0a

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SUMMARY
The Consolidate function in Microsoft Excel will not create links to blank cells on your source worksheets when you choose Consolidate from the Data menu and select the Create Links To Source Data check box.

MORE INFORMATION
If your source worksheet contains blank cells within the range of cells that you want to consolidate, those cells are not included in the consolidation worksheet. Microsoft Excel treats the blank cells in your consolidation range just as it does text, and therefore does not create a link to them.

Workaround
Because Microsoft Excel looks for numeric data to consolidate, it is essential that you initialize each cell which you want to be included in the consolidation with some numeric value. Placing a zero in each of these cells works well.