diff --git a/crates/calc/src/eval.rs b/crates/calc/src/eval.rs
index 2f1bb08..7ce2483 100644
--- a/crates/calc/src/eval.rs
+++ b/crates/calc/src/eval.rs
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ pub struct Evaluator<'h> {
 
 struct FnCtx<'a, 'h> {
     ev: &'a mut Evaluator<'h>,
+    /// The criteria argument of a database function, when it is a reference.
+    criteria: Option<Area>,
 }
 
 impl Ctx for FnCtx<'_, '_> {
@@ -100,6 +102,28 @@ impl Ctx for FnCtx<'_, '_> {
     fn random(&mut self) -> f64 {
         self.ev.host.random()
     }
+    /// Excel's "formula as criteria": the formula is written for the first record, so its relative
+    /// references move down to `record`'s row, and the database's labels name its fields.
+    /// Known gap: the shifted references are not dependencies of the calling cell. One that lands
+    /// outside both the database and the criteria cell's own precedents (say `=G2<H2` with column H
+    /// outside the database) is read here but not tracked, so editing that cell doesn't recalculate
+    /// the D-function until something else does.
+    fn computed_criterion(&mut self, row: usize, col: usize, db: &Array, record: usize) -> Option<bool> {
+        let area = self.criteria?;
+        let at = area.range.start.offset(row as i64, col as i64).filter(|c| area.range.contains(*c))?;
+        let expr = self.ev.host.workbook().sheet(area.sheet)?.cell(at)?.formula.as_ref()?.expr_arc()?;
+        let shifted = gridcraft_formula::adjust::shift_relative((*expr).clone(), record as i64 - 1, 0);
+        let env = (0..db.cols)
+            .filter_map(|c| match db.get(0, c) {
+                Some(Value::Text(t)) if !t.trim().is_empty() => {
+                    Some((t.trim().to_string(), Ev::V(db.get(record, c).cloned().unwrap_or(Value::Empty))))
+                }
+                _ => None,
+            })
+            .collect();
+        let mut ev = Evaluator { host: &mut *self.ev.host, sheet: area.sheet, at, env, depth: self.ev.depth };
+        Some(matches!(ev.value(&shifted).scalar().to_bool(), Ok(true)))
+    }
 }
 
 impl<'h> Evaluator<'h> {
@@ -592,7 +616,7 @@ impl<'h> Evaluator<'h> {
                         let value = self.value(a);
                         evaluated.push(Arg { value, from_ref: false });
                     }
-                    let mut ctx = FnCtx { ev: self };
+                    let mut ctx = FnCtx { ev: self, criteria: None };
                     return gridcraft_functions::call(spec, &evaluated, &mut ctx).pipe(Ev::V);
                 }
                 let i = match index.to_number() {
@@ -789,8 +813,17 @@ impl<'h> Evaluator<'h> {
         let mut evaluated = Vec::with_capacity(args.len());
         // SUMIF/AVERAGEIF: the size of the criteria range (argument 1), which the sum range takes.
         let mut criteria_shape = None;
+        // Database functions: the criteria range (argument 2), whose formulas are computed criteria.
+        let mut criteria = None;
         for (i, a) in args.iter().enumerate() {
             let mut ev = self.eval(a);
+            if spec.category == gridcraft_functions::Category::Database
+                && i == 2
+                && let Ev::R(areas) = &ev
+                && let [area] = areas.as_slice()
+            {
+                criteria = Some(*area);
+            }
             if resizes_sum_range(name, args.len()) {
                 if i == 0 {
                     criteria_shape = ev_shape(&ev);
@@ -818,7 +851,7 @@ impl<'h> Evaluator<'h> {
             };
             evaluated.push(Arg { value, from_ref });
         }
-        let mut ctx = FnCtx { ev: self };
+        let mut ctx = FnCtx { ev: self, criteria };
         gridcraft_functions::call(spec, &evaluated, &mut ctx).pipe(Ev::V)
     }
 
@@ -872,13 +905,13 @@ impl<'h> Evaluator<'h> {
         };
         let args = [Arg { value, from_ref }];
         if kind != Agg::Count {
-            match gridcraft_functions::call(sum, &args, &mut FnCtx { ev: self }) {
+            match gridcraft_functions::call(sum, &args, &mut FnCtx { ev: self, criteria: None }) {
                 Value::Number(n) => acc.sum += n,
                 other => return Err(Ev::V(other)),
             }
         }
         if kind != Agg::Sum {
-            match gridcraft_functions::call(count, &args, &mut FnCtx { ev: self }) {
+            match gridcraft_functions::call(count, &args, &mut FnCtx { ev: self, criteria: None }) {
                 Value::Number(n) => acc.count = acc.count.saturating_add(n as u64),
                 other => return Err(Ev::V(other)),
             }
@@ -1281,7 +1314,7 @@ impl<'h> Evaluator<'h> {
                         }
                     }
                 }
-                let mut ctx = FnCtx { ev: self };
+                let mut ctx = FnCtx { ev: self, criteria: None };
                 return match gridcraft_functions::call(spec, &xargs, &mut ctx) {
                     Value::Number(p) if p >= 1.0 => {
                         let k = p as u32 - 1;
diff --git a/crates/calc/src/tests.rs b/crates/calc/src/tests.rs
index 2914734..ee4c4bc 100644
--- a/crates/calc/src/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/calc/src/tests.rs
@@ -1121,6 +1121,56 @@ fn trim_references() {
     assert_eq!(t.get("K20"), Value::Error(CellError::Calc));
 }
 
+/// Expected results are Excel's, from Apache POI's `DGet.xls` (rows 46-49): a criteria cell holding
+/// a formula under a label that names no field is evaluated for every record.
+#[test]
+fn database_functions_with_computed_criteria() {
+    let mut t = T::new();
+    let db = [
+        ["name", "age", "size", "headgear", "glasses"],
+        ["Huey", "6", "45", "cap~", "FALSE"],
+        ["Dewey", "7", "fourty-six", "cap?", "FALSE"],
+        ["Louie", "8", "47", "cap*", "FALSE"],
+        ["Donald", "32", "70", "sailor's hat", "FALSE"],
+        ["Scrooge", "62", "65", "top hat", "TRUE"],
+    ];
+    for (r, row) in db.iter().enumerate() {
+        for (c, v) in row.iter().enumerate() {
+            t.set(&format!("{}{}", ["F", "G", "H", "I", "J"][c], r + 2), v);
+        }
+    }
+    t.set("G45", "7");
+    let cases = [
+        // Relative references are to the first record's row and move to each record's row;
+        // `$G$45` stays put.
+        ("G", "=G2<$G$45", "Dewey"),
+        // Column labels stand for the record's fields.
+        ("H", "=glasses=TRUE", "Scrooge"),
+        ("I", "=age<7", "Huey"),
+        ("J", "=size/7=10", "Donald"),
+        // An absolute reference to a cell that is not the first record's.
+        ("K", "=H3=$L$1", "Donald"),
+    ];
+    t.set("L1", "70");
+    for (i, (col, formula, _)) in cases.iter().enumerate() {
+        t.set(&format!("{col}46"), "Formula");
+        t.set(&format!("{col}47"), formula);
+        t.set(&format!("B{}", 46 + i), &format!("=DGET($F$2:$J$7,\"name\",{col}46:{col}47)"));
+    }
+    for (i, (_, formula, want)) in cases.iter().enumerate() {
+        assert_eq!(t.get(&format!("B{}", 46 + i)), Value::text(*want), "{formula}");
+    }
+    // Every database function takes them, ANDed with the other criteria of their row.
+    // Text sorts after numbers, so Dewey's "fourty-six" is > 40.
+    t.set("L47", "=size>40");
+    t.set("M46", "age");
+    t.set("M47", ">6");
+    t.set("B51", "=DCOUNT($F$2:$J$7,\"age\",I46:I47)");
+    t.set("B52", "=DSUM($F$2:$J$7,\"age\",G46:G47)");
+    t.set("B53", "=DCOUNTA($F$2:$J$7,\"name\",L46:M47)");
+    assert_eq!(t.num("B51"), 1.0);
+    assert_eq!(t.num("B52"), 7.0);
+    assert_eq!(t.num("B53"), 4.0);
 #[test]
 fn offset_extreme_arguments_return_ref() {
     let wb = Workbook::new();
diff --git a/crates/functions/src/database.rs b/crates/functions/src/database.rs
index 38e3729..67132e9 100644
--- a/crates/functions/src/database.rs
+++ b/crates/functions/src/database.rs
@@ -4,7 +4,9 @@
 //! The database and the criteria are arrays whose first row holds column labels. Each criteria
 //! row is a set of conditions that must all hold (AND); a record matches when any criteria row
 //! holds (OR). An empty criteria cell matches anything. Plain text conditions match values that
-//! begin with the text, as in Excel's advanced filter.
+//! begin with the text, as in Excel's advanced filter, so an empty string matches any text. A
+//! formula under a label that names no field is a computed criterion, which the host evaluates
+//! for each record ([`Ctx::computed_criterion`]).
 
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 
@@ -49,7 +51,6 @@ fn field_index(db: &Array, a: &[Arg]) -> R<Option<usize>> {
 fn cell_criterion(v: &Value) -> Option<Criterion> {
     match v {
         Value::Empty => None,
-        Value::Text(t) if t.is_empty() => None,
         Value::Text(t) => {
             let s: &str = t;
             let has_op = s.starts_with(['=', '<', '>']);
@@ -65,9 +66,10 @@ fn cell_criterion(v: &Value) -> Option<Criterion> {
 }
 
 /// Rows (1-based within the database, excluding the header) of matching records.
-fn matching_records(db: &Array, crit: &Array) -> Vec<usize> {
-    // Per criteria row: list of (database column or None when the label is unknown, criterion).
-    let mut rows: Vec<Vec<(Option<usize>, Criterion)>> = Vec::new();
+fn matching_records(db: &Array, crit: &Array, ctx: &mut dyn Ctx) -> Vec<usize> {
+    // Per criteria row: its index and a list of (criteria column, database column or None when
+    // the label is unknown, criterion).
+    let mut rows: Vec<(usize, Vec<(usize, Option<usize>, Criterion)>)> = Vec::new();
     for r in 1..crit.rows {
         let mut conds = Vec::new();
         for c in 0..crit.cols {
@@ -78,18 +80,20 @@ fn matching_records(db: &Array, crit: &Array) -> Vec<usize> {
                 Some(Value::Number(n)) => find_column(db, &gridcraft_core::number_to_text(*n)),
                 _ => None,
             };
-            conds.push((col, cr));
+            conds.push((c, col, cr));
         }
-        rows.push(conds);
+        rows.push((r, conds));
     }
     let all_match = rows.is_empty();
     (1..db.rows)
-        .filter(|&r| {
+        .filter(|&rec| {
             all_match
-                || rows.iter().any(|conds| {
-                    conds.iter().all(|(col, cr)| match col {
-                        Some(c) => cr.matches(db.get(r, *c).unwrap_or(&Value::Empty)),
-                        None => false,
+                || rows.iter().any(|(r, conds)| {
+                    conds.iter().all(|(c, col, cr)| match col {
+                        Some(f) => cr.matches(db.get(rec, *f).unwrap_or(&Value::Empty)),
+                        // Under a label that names no field, only a formula (a computed
+                        // criterion) can hold.
+                        None => ctx.computed_criterion(*r, *c, db, rec).unwrap_or(false),
                     })
                 })
         })
@@ -102,7 +106,7 @@ struct Selection<'a> {
     records: Vec<usize>,
 }
 
-fn select(a: &[Arg]) -> R<Selection<'_>> {
+fn select<'a>(a: &'a [Arg], ctx: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Selection<'a>> {
     let dbv = &a.first().ok_or(CellError::Value)?.value;
     let critv = &a.get(2).ok_or(CellError::Value)?.value;
     if let Value::Error(e) = dbv {
@@ -114,31 +118,31 @@ fn select(a: &[Arg]) -> R<Selection<'_>> {
     let db = as_array(dbv);
     let crit = as_array(critv);
     let field = field_index(&db, a)?;
-    let records = matching_records(&db, &crit);
+    let records = matching_records(&db, &crit, ctx);
     Ok(Selection { db, field, records })
 }
 
 /// Numbers of the field among matching records (field required).
-fn field_numbers(a: &[Arg]) -> R<Vec<f64>> {
-    let s = select(a)?;
+fn field_numbers(a: &[Arg], c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Vec<f64>> {
+    let s = select(a, c)?;
     let f = s.field.ok_or(CellError::Value)?;
     Ok(s.records.iter().filter_map(|&r| s.db.get(r, f).and_then(Value::as_f64)).collect())
 }
 
-fn dsum(a: &[Arg], _c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
-    num_val(field_numbers(a)?.iter().sum())
+fn dsum(a: &[Arg], c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
+    num_val(field_numbers(a, c)?.iter().sum())
 }
 
-fn daverage(a: &[Arg], _c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
-    let v = field_numbers(a)?;
+fn daverage(a: &[Arg], c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
+    let v = field_numbers(a, c)?;
     if v.is_empty() {
         return Err(CellError::Div0);
     }
     num_val(v.iter().sum::<f64>() / v.len() as f64)
 }
 
-fn dcount(a: &[Arg], _c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
-    let s = select(a)?;
+fn dcount(a: &[Arg], c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
+    let s = select(a, c)?;
     let n = match s.field {
         Some(f) => s.records.iter().filter(|&&r| matches!(s.db.get(r, f), Some(Value::Number(_)))).count(),
         None => s.records.len(),
@@ -146,8 +150,8 @@ fn dcount(a: &[Arg], _c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
     num_val(n as f64)
 }
 
-fn dcounta(a: &[Arg], _c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
-    let s = select(a)?;
+fn dcounta(a: &[Arg], c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
+    let s = select(a, c)?;
     let n = match s.field {
         Some(f) => s.records.iter().filter(|&&r| !matches!(s.db.get(r, f), None | Some(Value::Empty))).count(),
         None => s.records.len(),
@@ -155,28 +159,31 @@ fn dcounta(a: &[Arg], _c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
     num_val(n as f64)
 }
 
-fn dget(a: &[Arg], _c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
-    let s = select(a)?;
+fn dget(a: &[Arg], c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
+    let s = select(a, c)?;
     let f = s.field.ok_or(CellError::Value)?;
-    match s.records.as_slice() {
-        [] => Err(CellError::Value),
-        [r] => Ok(s.db.get(*r, f).cloned().unwrap_or(Value::Empty)),
+    // Records whose field is blank (or "") don't count, as in Excel.
+    let mut found =
+        s.records.iter().filter_map(|&r| s.db.get(r, f)).filter(|v| !matches!(v, Value::Empty) && !matches!(v, Value::Text(t) if t.is_empty()));
+    match (found.next(), found.next()) {
+        (None, _) => Err(CellError::Value),
+        (Some(v), None) => Ok(v.clone()),
         _ => Err(CellError::Num),
     }
 }
 
-fn dmax(a: &[Arg], _c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
-    let v = field_numbers(a)?;
+fn dmax(a: &[Arg], c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
+    let v = field_numbers(a, c)?;
     num_val(v.iter().copied().reduce(f64::max).unwrap_or(0.0))
 }
 
-fn dmin(a: &[Arg], _c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
-    let v = field_numbers(a)?;
+fn dmin(a: &[Arg], c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
+    let v = field_numbers(a, c)?;
     num_val(v.iter().copied().reduce(f64::min).unwrap_or(0.0))
 }
 
-fn dproduct(a: &[Arg], _c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
-    let v = field_numbers(a)?;
+fn dproduct(a: &[Arg], c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
+    let v = field_numbers(a, c)?;
     if v.is_empty() {
         return num_val(0.0);
     }
@@ -194,20 +201,20 @@ fn variance(v: &[f64], sample: bool) -> R<f64> {
     Ok(ss / if sample { n - 1.0 } else { n })
 }
 
-fn dvar(a: &[Arg], _c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
-    num_val(variance(&field_numbers(a)?, true)?)
+fn dvar(a: &[Arg], c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
+    num_val(variance(&field_numbers(a, c)?, true)?)
 }
 
-fn dvarp(a: &[Arg], _c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
-    num_val(variance(&field_numbers(a)?, false)?)
+fn dvarp(a: &[Arg], c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
+    num_val(variance(&field_numbers(a, c)?, false)?)
 }
 
-fn dstdev(a: &[Arg], _c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
-    num_val(variance(&field_numbers(a)?, true)?.sqrt())
+fn dstdev(a: &[Arg], c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
+    num_val(variance(&field_numbers(a, c)?, true)?.sqrt())
 }
 
-fn dstdevp(a: &[Arg], _c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
-    num_val(variance(&field_numbers(a)?, false)?.sqrt())
+fn dstdevp(a: &[Arg], c: &mut dyn Ctx) -> R<Value> {
+    num_val(variance(&field_numbers(a, c)?, false)?.sqrt())
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn specs() -> Vec<FnSpec> {
@@ -371,4 +378,69 @@ mod tests {
         is_err(ev("DSUM", vec![e(CellError::Ref), t("Yield"), rf(c("=Cherry"))]), CellError::Ref);
         close(ev("DCOUNTA", vec![rf(db()), empty(), rf(c("=Pear"))]), 2.0);
     }
+
+    /// Expected results are Excel's, from Apache POI's `DGet.xls` (rows 74-86).
+    #[test]
+    fn empty_string_criterion() {
+        let db = arr(vec![
+            vec![tv("Index"), tv("Value")],
+            vec![tv("a"), tv("=")],
+            vec![tv("b"), Value::Empty],
+            vec![tv("c"), tv("")],
+            vec![tv("d"), tv(" ")],
+            vec![tv("f"), Value::Error(CellError::Value)],
+            vec![tv("h"), tv("abc")],
+            vec![tv("i"), nv(0.0)],
+        ]);
+        let get = |index: &str| {
+            let crit = arr(vec![vec![tv("Index"), tv("Value")], vec![tv(index), tv("")]]);
+            ev("DGET", vec![rf(db.clone()), t("Index"), rf(crit)])
+        };
+        // Like any plain text, "" is a "begins with" pattern: it matches every text value.
+        is_text(get("c"), "c");
+        is_text(get("h"), "h");
+        is_err(get("b"), CellError::Value);
+        is_err(get("i"), CellError::Value);
+        is_err(get("f"), CellError::Value);
+        let all = arr(vec![vec![tv("Value")], vec![tv("")]]);
+        close(ev("DCOUNTA", vec![rf(db.clone()), t("Index"), rf(all)]), 4.0);
+
+        // Under a label that names no field, "" is a condition that never holds.
+        let db = arr(vec![vec![tv("One"), tv("Two"), tv("Three")], vec![tv("a"), tv("c"), tv("x")], vec![tv("b"), tv("d"), tv("y")]]);
+        let get = |label: Value, value: Value| {
+            let crit = arr(vec![vec![tv("One"), label, tv("Three")], vec![tv("a"), value, tv("x")]]);
+            ev("DGET", vec![rf(db.clone()), t("One"), rf(crit)])
+        };
+        is_text(get(Value::Empty, Value::Empty), "a");
+        is_text(get(tv(""), Value::Empty), "a");
+        is_err(get(Value::Empty, tv("")), CellError::Value);
+        is_err(get(tv(""), tv("")), CellError::Value);
+    }
+
+    /// Expected results are Excel's, from Apache POI's `DGet.xls` (rows 108-119).
+    #[test]
+    fn dget_skips_empty_fields() {
+        let db = arr(vec![
+            vec![tv("One"), tv("Two")],
+            vec![tv("a"), Value::Empty],
+            vec![tv("b"), tv(" ")],
+            vec![tv("c"), tv("")],
+            vec![tv("d"), Value::Error(CellError::NA)],
+            vec![tv("j"), Value::Empty],
+            vec![tv("j"), tv("Text")],
+            vec![tv("j"), Value::Empty],
+            vec![tv("k"), Value::Empty],
+            vec![tv("k"), tv("")],
+        ]);
+        let get = |one: &str| {
+            let crit = arr(vec![vec![tv("One")], vec![tv(one)]]);
+            ev("DGET", vec![rf(db.clone()), t("Two"), rf(crit)])
+        };
+        is_err(get("a"), CellError::Value);
+        is_text(get("b"), " ");
+        is_err(get("c"), CellError::Value);
+        is_err(get("d"), CellError::NA);
+        is_text(get("j"), "Text");
+        is_err(get("k"), CellError::Value);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/functions/src/lib.rs b/crates/functions/src/lib.rs
index 65612b4..148d682 100644
--- a/crates/functions/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/functions/src/lib.rs
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 use std::collections::HashMap;
 use std::sync::OnceLock;
 
-use gridcraft_core::{CellError, DateSystem, Value};
+use gridcraft_core::{Array, CellError, DateSystem, Value};
 
 /// Builds a [`FnSpec`] whose implementation returns `Result<Value, CellError>`.
 ///
@@ -105,6 +105,12 @@ pub trait Ctx {
     fn now_serial(&self) -> f64;
     /// Uniform in [0, 1).
     fn random(&mut self) -> f64;
+    /// For the database functions: whether the formula in the criteria cell at (`row`, `col`) holds
+    /// for `record` (a row of `db` below its labels). `None` when that cell holds no formula or the
+    /// criteria didn't come from a reference.
+    fn computed_criterion(&mut self, _row: usize, _col: usize, _db: &Array, _record: usize) -> Option<bool> {
+        None
+    }
 }
 
 pub type FnImpl = fn(&[Arg], &mut dyn Ctx) -> Value;