Returns the value of the cells in a reference.
Syntax
DEREF(reference)
Reference is the cell or cells from which you want to obtain a value. If reference is the reference of a single cell, DEREF returns the value of that cell. If reference is the reference of a range of cells, DEREF returns the array of values in those cells. If reference refers to the active sheet, it must be an absolute reference. Relative references are converted to absolute references.
Remarks
In most formulas, there is no difference between using a value and using the reference of a cell containing that value. The reference is automatically converted to the value, as necessary. For example, if cell A1 contains the value 2, then the formula =A1+1, like the formula =2+1, returns the result 3, because the reference A1 is converted to the value 2. However, in a few functions, such as the SET.NAME function, references are not automatically converted to values. Instead, those functions behave differently depending on whether an argument is a reference or a value.
Example
See the sixth example for SET.NAME.
Related Function
SET.NAME Defines a names as a value
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