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title: "Linking distribution parameters to your spreadsheet and Dynamic Referencing"
canonical: "https://modelassist.epixanalytics.com/space/EA/26575288/Linking%20distribution%20parameters%20to%20your%20spreadsheet%20and%20Dynamic%20Referencing"
format: markdown
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# Writing distribution parameters in your spreadsheet and "Dynamic Referencing"

When you are using any EXCEL function, such as the PRODUCT or the SUM functions, and you are referencing to other cells as is shown in the example below, a change in the input-cells of any of these functions will result in a change in the outcome of the function. In the example below, after we changed Cell E14 from the value 4 to the value 400, the SUM of cell E13:E15 changed from 12 to 408.

  


![image](media://ff391df7-1119-4e00-b9ab-4b817c4fb10b)

![image](media://b20d2bc2-1a6c-4794-9278-45ce832ef354)

  


  


There are two important issues here:

1. At Epix Analytics, we write inputs of EXCEL functions in spreadsheet cells and not directly into a function. This allows us to easily see what data we used in our functions: good practice that we strongly recommend you follow.
2. If we change data in our spreadsheet (as we show above), the outcome of the functions will change. This is called "Dynamic referencing", and happens automatically in all Excel functions.

### Crystal Ball

First, it is important to write all input parameters of our distributions in our spreadsheet. Once we "Define a Distribution", we can link our distribution to this input by simply typing the Cell reference in the "Define Assumption" window as show in the figure below.

 

Secondly, we have to make sure that a change in the input on our spreadsheet will automatically change the distribution. This *is automatically* the default situation for all distributions in Crystal Ball, except for the Custom Distribution:

 

*1*. All Distributions except for the Custom Distribution

 

In every distribution, except for the [Custom Distribution](https://modelassist.epixanalytics.com/space/EA/26575277/Custom+Distribution), "Dynamic referencing" is the default situation.

  


*2. The Custom Distribution*

  


One needs to make the following steps to enable this feature:

  


Step 1. After Selecting the Custom Distribution, click the "Load Data..." button as you can see below

  


![image](media://97066a47-72ea-40b0-834b-2bb624a8d802)

  


Step 2. After clicking the "Load Data..." button click the option "Keep linked to spreadsheet" as shown below

  


![image](media://92984aab-d75a-446c-b83f-2e7b4efb3fe4)

  


Step 3. After clicking the option "Keep linked to spreadsheet", select the data on your spreadsheet you want to use. Data and data format requirement for the Custom Distribution are further described in [this section](https://epixanalytics.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/EA/pages/26575280).

  


  


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