Relative and Absolute Cell References

Excel uses two types of cell references to create formulas. Each has its own purpose. Read on to determine which type of cell reference to use for your formula.

Relative Cell References

This is the most widely used type of cell reference in formulas. Relative cell references are basic cell references that adjust and change when copied or when using AutoFill. Example: =SUM(B5:B8), as shown below, changes to =SUM(C5:C8) when copied across to the next cell.

Absolute Cell References

Situations arise in which the cell reference must remain the same when copied or when using AutoFill. Dollar signs are used to hold a column and/or row reference constant. Example: In the example below, when calculating commissions for sales staff, you would not want cell B10 to change when copying the formula down. You want both the column and the row to remain the same to refer to that exact cell. By using $B$10 in the formula, neither changes when copied.

A more complicated example: Let's pretend that you need to calculate the prices of items in stock with two different price discounts. Take a look at the worksheet below.

Examine the formula in cell E4. By making the first cell reference $C4, you keep the column from changing when copied across, but allow the row to change when copying down to accommodate the prices of the different items going down. By making the last cell reference A$12, you keep the row number from changing when copied down, but allow the column to change and reflect discount B when copied across. Confused? Check out the graphics below and the cell results.

Copied Across

Copied Down

Now, you might be thinking, why not just use 10% and 15% in the actual formulas? Wouldn't that be easier? Yes, if you are sure the discount percentages will never change - which is highly unlikely. It's more likely that eventually those percentages will need to be adjusted. By referencing the cells containing 10% and 15% and not the actual numbers, when the percentage changes all you need to do is change the percentage one time in cell A12 and/or B12 instead of rebuilding all of your formulas. Excel would automatically update the discount prices to reflect your discount percentage change. Summary of absolute cell reference uses:

$A1 A$1 $A$1

Allows the row reference to change, but not the column reference. Allows the column reference to change, but not the row reference. Allows neither the column nor the row reference to change.

There is a shortcut for placing absolute cell references in your formulas! When you are typing your formula, after you type a cell reference - press the F4 key. Excel automatically makes the cell reference absolute! By continuing to press F4, Excel will cycle through all of the absolute reference possibilities. For example, in the first absolute cell reference formula in this tutorial, =B4*$B$10, I could have

typed, =B4*B10, then pressed the F4 key to change B10 to $B$10. Continuing to press F4 would have resulted in B$10, then $B10, and finally B10. Pressing F4 changes only the cell reference directly to the left of your insertion point. I hope this tutorial has made these cell reference types "absolutely" clear!

Using an Excel worksheet - Calculating Percent and Using Absolute Cell Reference

Step 1 - Review percent - Before showing how to calculate percent with Excel, let's review how to calculate percent. A number divided by a second number and multiplied by 100 expresses what percent the first number is of the second number. If you do not multiply by 100 you have the decimal equivalent of percent.

Step 2 - Writing a percent equation for only two numbers- Solve the following: 2 is what percent of 8?

Now that you are sure you remember the process for calculating percent, use an Excel worksheet to perform the calculations.

Step 3. Writing a percent equation for a column of numbers accompanied by a sum. - Data from the ice cream survey will be used to illustrate how to calculate percentage.

Task: Determine what percent 6 is of 24 by putting the equation into cell C2 of a worksheet similar to the one above.

Step 4. Auto Fill and problems associated with it - You probably remember a discussion of Auto Fill on a previous module . That is a convenient way to place information in several cells at the same time. That might sound like a very good way to fill the equation into cells C3 through C9. For instructive purposes we will do that now to see the problem it causes.

Oops! Something wrong there. The problem was caused by the way the equation was written. The equation B2/B10 says, "take the first cell in this equation and divide it by the cell 8 spaces below." The reason that none of the other equations work is that there is nothing in the cell 8 spaces below any of the cells from B3 to B10. We must find a way of telling Excel to use call B10 to divide by for each of the other 8 equations. Step 5. Absolute Cell Reference - You tell Excel to use one specific cell, and never move to another relative location in the calculations by using "absolute cell reference." To specify the cell, place a dollar sign before the column letter and before the row number. Thus, $B$10 says always use cell B10. Lets go back to the worksheet and re-write the equation in C2.

Notice the answer has not changed. If we were writing only this one equation, we wasted time using absolute cell reference. The real benefit of this equation will be seen when you fill down into cells C3 through C10. Step 6. Fill the equation down into the cells below - If you need to review how to accomplish that go back to a previous module . As soon as you fill this equation with an absolute cell reference down into cells C3 through C10, the percentages are instantly calculated. Only one more task remains.

Step 7. Format the cells - Unless you need five decimal places, I suggest formatting cells C2 through C10, the highlighted range above, so that one decimal place is displayed. Right-click on the highlighted range of cells, and select Format Cells... (Macintosh users, Hold down the Ctrl key while clicking. If you want more information on this see a module about teaching your Mac to right-click .)

In the category list select Number, and in the Decimal places: box use the down arrow to choose 1.

Click OK, your column of data has a nice uniform appearance.

Return to an index of Excel modules

Microsoft Excel 2007/2008 Cell References: Relative and Absolute

Cell references are an important part of creating formulas in Excel. Using cell references allows your formulas to update automatically if the value in a particular cell changes and can also assist you in updating formulas as cells are copied or moved. There are two basic types of cell references, each serving a different purpose.

Relative Cell References Absolute Cell References

Relative Cell References

References that will change in relation to the new location of the formula. Relative references identify cells based on their relationship to the cell containing the reference. EXAMPLE: In the example shown here, the function in D2 calculates Bob's pay by multiplying his hours (C2) by his rate of pay (B2). Since the rate of pay varies by student, we can use the Fill Command to copy the function to the other rows in the spreadsheet. Because the cell references are relative, the function will adjust to calculate the values in the appropriate rows. In other words, when we copy the function to Anna's total, her pay will be based on C3*B3.

Absolute Cell References

References that remain the same when a formula is copied to a new location. No matter where the formula or the values in the original cell are moved, the formula will continue to refer to the same cell. EXAMPLE: In the example shown here, the function in C11 calculates Bob's pay by multiplying his hours (B11) by the rate of pay for all students (C9). Notice the $ before both the column and row IDs ($C$9). By making the reference to the rate of pay an absolute reference, we can use the Fill Command to copy the function to the other rows in the spreadsheet. The same rate of pay will be multiplied by the appropriate hours for each student. In other words, when we copy the function to Anna's total, her pay will be based on B12*$C$9.

Relative and absolute cell references can be used in all situations that require cell references, including cell ranges and formulas. A formula, cell range, or cell reference can have both relative and absolute components. By adding a dollar sign ($) before either the column or row location or both, that reference becomes absolute. When adding dollar signs to cell references, only the portion of the reference directly following the dollar sign is absolute. To keep the entire cell reference constant, place a dollar sign before both the column and row location. EXAMPLE: $A$12
To make a cell reference absolute: 1. Within the formula, before the part of the reference (i.e., row or column reference) that you would like to be absolute, type $ OR In the Formula bar a. Click within the cell reference you want to change b. Windows: Press [F4] Macintosh: Press [Cmd] + [T] Part of your cell reference is changed. HINT: Pressing [F4] or [Cmd] + [T] will cause elements (i.e., row and column references) of your cell reference to toggle between being relative and absolute. If you do not get the desired reference the first time, continue pressing this key until the desired portions of your reference are relative and absolute. EXAMPLE: When pressing [F4] or [Cmd] + [T], your cell reference may cycle through the following progression: A12, $A$12, A$12, $A12, A12.

Absolute References
There will likely be instances when you want to use a constant in a formula. In this case, you would use an absolute cell reference. When a formula containing an absolute cell reference is copied to a new location, the cell reference is not adjusted. To create an absolute cell reference, you will need to add dollar signs ( $ ) in front of the column and row elements for the cell referenced.

Below is an example of a copied formula, using an Absolute Reference.

In this example, we are calculating a constant 5% increase in total costs. The amount of the increase is located in cell C1, so we want that portion of the formula to remain absolute. When we copy the formula to column C, the only cell number that changed was B7 to C7, while the $C$1 cell remained constant in the copy process.