Getting text from cell into another - Cannot find anyone who has ever seen this before.

[hidden78731]

I am working in a workbook, and I would like to have information in one cell of 'tab 1' to be in the cell in 'tab 2'. When I put an = sign in the cell and click on the other tab, then the desired cell, I get this result, "'='Program Budgets'!C21" instead of the actual text in the other tab. It also happens when I do it within the same tab, but then it just says, "=C16" instead of the value in the cell.

Does anyone know why this is happening, I have asked several others, and no one can figure it out. Images are attached for both cases. I could not replicate this error in another workbook, so I couldn't post an example.

ALSO - It just started giving me an error messsage. (image also attached)Capture Error.JPG

Thank you.
-H

Capture (v1).JPGCapture of error (V2).JPG

[scottyboy218]

The cells you're entering the formulas in are currently formatted as text, so it's displaying whatever you type or whatever formulas you enter. Right click on the cell, format it as "general". You will have to double click on the cell again, and hit enter for it to change the format to general.

[protonLeah]

Check if the cell format is Text and change to General if so, then,
Under Excel Options>Advanced>Display option for this workbook, make sure that "Show formulas in cells..." is not checked.