Using Formulas and Functions
- 6/15/2010
- Understanding Formulas and Cell References in Excel
- Creating Simple Cell Formulas
- Assigning Names to Groups of Cells
- Using Names in Formulas
- Creating a Formula That References Values in an Excel Table
- Creating Formulas That Reference Cells in Other Workbooks
- Summing a Group of Cells Without Using a Formula
- Creating a Summary Formula
- Summing with Subtotals and Grand Totals
- Exploring the Excel Function Library
- Using the IF Function
- Checking Formula References
- Debugging Your Formulas
Checking Formula References
When you create a formula that draws values from several different places in your workbook—or from other workbooks—it can be difficult to see what’s going wrong if your formula isn’t producing the expected results. Excel helps you locate a cell’s precedents (the cells the formula uses in its calculation) and dependents (the cells that depend on the current cell to calculate their own values). To help you find what you need to check your formulas, Excel groups all the tools you need on the Formula Auditing group on the Formulas tab.
Find Cell Precedents and Dependents
Click the cell you want to examine.
Click the Formulas tab.
Using the controls in the Formula Auditing group, follow either of these steps:
Click Trace Precedents.
Click Trace Dependents.
Remove Tracer Arrows
Click the Formulas tab.
Click the Remove Arrows down arrow, and follow any of these steps:
Click Remove Arrows to remove all arrows.
Click Remove Precedent Arrows to remove the precedent arrows.
Click Remove Dependent Arrows to remove the dependent arrows.
