finding most recent data in sparse column?

[bugbear]

(I may be re-inventing the wheel here)

I'm starting to put together a spreadsheet to keep track of my ISAs, bonds and bank accounts.

I intend a column for each account, and a row for each date when I get a statement for one of the accounts.

I would then like to have a total for each date, but I can't just sum() the rows, since many (in general, all but one) cells will be empty.

It is intuitively obvious that for any "empty" cell in a column, the value should be the most recent filled cell.

But I can't see an easy way to say this.

Can anyone help, either by pointing me at a relevant function, or a "template" investment spreadsheet?
_________________
Ignorance is curable, stupidity is forever

[jrkrideau]