I can get the following to work jsut fine:
='C:\test\TAL\[TAL_3.xlsx]TAL'!$D$11

However I need to have "TAL_3.xlsx" by a dynamic reference to a cell.

I have tried the following with no luck:
=INDIRECT("'C:\test\TAL\[" & INDIRECT("A8") & "TAL_1.xlsx]TAL'!$D$11")

Big picture I have a column of data that contains, TAL_1, TAL_2, TAL_3, etc. For each TAL_# I need to pull a status from that file. Trying to avoid a macro...but that might end up being the solution.

Is there anyway to get this to work. Other languages have an 'eval' command that would interpret a variable, but have not found anything like this in excel.

Would appreciate any help.

Thanks in advance!

Ron