Follow formula patterns for some cells only

Question

I am trying to get excel to follow patterns grabbing information from cells only, while keeping other cells in the formula static.

As follows:

=importxml(CONCATENATE(A1,B17),E1)

A1 = never changes

B17 = increments by 1 every time. Ex: B17, B18, B19, etc...

E1 = never changes

Right now it seems like excel is counting the number of cells from the cell I am currently in and once I try to follow that pattern it keeps counting the same number of cells to grab the cell in the pattern. (Ex: 7 cells up, so as I move down from the current cell it keeps looking for data in the cell 7 cells up from the current one, which is often, empty). Moreover, right now all cells are changing in the pattern and I only need SOME cells to follow the pattern.

I appreciate any help with this.

Answer 1

If I understand your question, you want to copy that formula while keeping the first and last parameters (A1 and E1) constant. That can be achieved by using the $ sign:

• $A$1 will always be copied as $A$1
• $A1 will be copied as $An where n is the row number - so if you copy it one row down (whatever the column) it will become $A2
• A$1 will be copied as XX$1 where XX is the column - so if you copy it one column to the right, (whatever the row) it will become B$1

So in your case you would use:

=importxml(CONCATENATE($A$1,B17),$E$1)

or if you need to make the B column constant (but not the row):

=importxml(CONCATENATE($A$1,$B17),$E$1)