Problems when keying formula in worksheet that links to other sheets in SAME workbook

[pkessler]

I have an interesting problem in my excel 2010 worksheet.

My excel worksheet has 3 tabs - call them red, white and blue
When I enter a formula into Tab red that pulls data from Tab blue, it places the result into a random cell somewhere else on Tab blue

for example, in cell A1 on Tab red, I type: = then click on cell A45, then type *, then click on the blue tab and click on cellA23, then hit return. The result is that cell A1 on the red tab is blank and a random cell on the blue tab has the hardcoded result of the formula.

What makes this error more frustrating is that it is NOT consistent. Within the same file, the problem happens one day and not the next. It has only happened to a handful of files and I can not find any similarities between them. Until today, I was the only one in my office that had the issue. Today, my CFO has encountered the problem, but his too is not consistent.

Has anyone come across anything like this recently?

[bryanbak3]

Sometimes it helps to actually click on the sheet then on the cell you are using in your formula.

[pkessler]

Thanks for posting that, as it made me realize the original post was not the best description. I have edited it to be more clear. I actually am clicking on the tab and cell I want to link - that is what causes the problem. When you just type the tab and cell reference, it works as it is supposed to.