Polybutylene.com thanks for the reply. My problem is to have cells in Excel accept specific data from a data base. Somehow there must be a method or function to be written in that cell that will point to the data base and uses that info to complete the calculation.Maybe a macro. But if my excel program has drainage, hot and cold water, stormwater etc as worksheets the writing of macro,s for each entry becomes a bore. Any suggestions? Incidentally, the data base will be one that I will construct myself.