I considered this also, when I get to the second one how would it look? like
this?

=indirect("'C:\dir\["&A1&"].sheet1'!$A$1") -
indirect("'C:\dir\["&B1&"].sheet1'!$A$1") -
indirect("'C:\dir\["&C1&"].sheet1'!$A$1")

"bj" wrote:

> concider something like the indirect function
> in column A place your day1,day2, etc
> in column B
> =indirect("'C:\dir\["&A1&"].sheet1'!$A$1")
>
>
> "Misssy" wrote:
>
> > I have some formulas and need an easy way to switch workbooks but keep the
> > same cell reference on the different workbooks. Example
> > first run 'C:\dir\[day1].sheet1'!A1
> > second run 'C:\dir\[day2].sheet1'!A1
> > thrid run 'C:\dir\[day2].sheet1'!A1
> >
> > How could I change between workbook day1, day2 or day3 without doing a
> > search and replace?
> >
> > Also, the formulas are more complicated than my example, there may be 4 or 5
> > workbook references within a formula. I tried using TEXT and letting the
> > text reference hold the changing workbook, but don't see how to make this
> > work when there are so many places it would have to be.
> >
> > Here is a real example - and next time I run I would need workbook
> > [elast.xls] to be [elast1.xls]
> >
> > =+Solver!$A$61-shocks!$H$6-shocks!$H$50-'C:\Dir\[elast.xls]Sheet1'!$C$12*Solver!$A$63-'C:\Dir\[elast.xls]Sheet1'!$D$12*Solver!$A$64-'C:\Dir\[elast.xls]Sheet1'!$E$12*Solver!$A$68-'C:\Dir\[elast.xls]Sheet1'!$F$12*Solver!$A$66-'C:\Dir\[elast.xls]Sheet1'!$G$12*Solver!$A$70-'C:\Dir\[elast.xls]Sheet1'!$H$12*Solver!$A$69-'C:\Dir\[elast.xls]Sheet1'!$I$12*Solver!$A$72-'C:\Dir\[elast.xls]Sheet1'!$J$12*Solver!$A$68-'C:\Dir\[elast.xls]Sheet1'!$K$12*Solver!$A$71-'C:\Dir\[elast.xls]Sheet1'!$L$12*Solver!$A$67