10/25/21, 8:26 AM Excel Formulas: Relative and Absolute Cell References
Excel Formulas
Relative and Absolute Cell References
Introduction
There are two types of cell references: relative and absolute. Relative and absolute
references behave differently when copied and filled to other cells. Relative references
change when a formula is copied to another cell. Absolute references, on the other
hand, remain constant no matter where they are copied.
Optional: Download our example file for this lesson.
Watch the video below to learn more about cell references.
Excel: Relative and Absolute Cell References
Relative references
By default, all cell references are relative references. When copied across multiple cells,
they change based on the relative position of rows and columns. For example, if you
copy the formula =A1+B1 from row 1 to row 2, the formula will become =A2+B2. Relative
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references are especially convenient whenever you need to repeat the same calculation
across multiple rows or columns.
To create and copy a formula using relative references:
In the following example, we want to create a formula that will multiply each item's
price by the quantity. Rather than create a new formula for each row, we can create a
single formula in cell D2 and then copy it to the other rows. We'll use relative references
so the formula correctly calculates the total for each item.
1 Select the cell that will contain the formula. In our example, we'll select cell
D2.
2 Enter the formula to calculate the desired value. In our example, we'll type
=B2*C2.
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3 Press Enter on your keyboard. The formula will be calculated, and the
result will be displayed in the cell.
4 Locate the fill handle in the lower-right corner of the desired cell. In our
example, we'll locate the fill handle for cell D2.
5 Click, hold, and drag the fill handle over the cells you wish to fill. In our
example, we'll select cells D3:D12.
6 Release the mouse. The formula will be copied to the selected cells with
relative references and the values will be calculated in each cell.
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You can double-click the filled cells to check their formulas for accuracy.
The relative cell references should be different for each cell, depending on
its row.
Let's practice!
Question 1 of 1
Which of the following is a relative cell reference?
!C2 $C2
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C2 $C$2
Submit
Absolute references
There may be times when you do not want a cell reference to change when filling cells.
Unlike relative references, absolute references do not change when copied or filled. You
can use an absolute reference to keep a row and/or column constant.
An absolute reference is designated in a formula by the addition of a dollar sign ($)
before the column and row. If it precedes the column or row (but not both), it's known as
a mixed reference.
You will use the relative (A2) and absolute ($A$2) formats in most formulas.
Mixed references are used less frequently.
When writing a formula in Microsoft Excel, you can press the F4 key on your keyboard to
switch between relative, absolute, and mixed cell references, as shown in the video
below. This is an easy way to quickly insert an absolute reference.
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Excel Quick Tip: Absolute References with the F4 Key
To create and copy a formula using absolute references:
In our example, we'll use the 7.5% sales tax rate in cell E1 to calculate the sales tax for all
items in column D. We'll need to use the absolute cell reference $E$1 in our formula.
Because each formula is using the same tax rate, we want that reference to remain
constant when the formula is copied and filled to other cells in column D.
1 Select the cell that will contain the formula. In our example, we'll select cell
D3.
2 Enter the formula to calculate the desired value. In our example, we'll type
=(B3*C3)*$E$1.
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3 Press Enter on your keyboard. The formula will calculate, and the result will
display in the cell.
4 Locate the fill handle in the lower-right corner of the desired cell. In our
example, we'll locate the fill handle for cell D3.
5 Click, hold, and drag the fill handle over the cells you wish to fill, cells
D4:D13 in our example.
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6 Release the mouse. The formula will be copied to the selected cells with an
absolute reference, and the values will be calculated in each cell.
You can double-click the filled cells to check their formulas for accuracy.
The absolute reference should be the same for each cell, while the other
references are relative to the cell's row.
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10/25/21, 8:26 AM Excel Formulas: Relative and Absolute Cell References
Be sure to include the dollar sign ($) whenever you're making an absolute
reference across multiple cells. The dollar signs were omitted in the
example below. This caused the spreadsheet to interpret it as a relative
reference, producing an incorrect result when copied to other cells.
Let's practice!
Question 1 of 1
If you wanted to make an absolute reference to cell E2, what would it look like?
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$E$2 @E2
[E2] E2
Submit
Using cell references with multiple
worksheets
Most spreadsheet programs allow you to refer to any cell on any worksheet, which can
be especially helpful if you want to reference a specific value from one worksheet to
another. To do this, you'll simply need to begin the cell reference with the worksheet
name followed by an exclamation point (!). For example, if you wanted to reference cell
A1 on Sheet1, its cell reference would be Sheet1!A1.
Note that if a worksheet name contains a space, you will need to include
single quotation marks (' ') around the name. For example, if you wanted
to reference cell A1 on a worksheet named July Budget, its cell reference
would be 'July Budget'!A1.
To reference cells across worksheets:
In our example below, we'll refer to a cell with a calculated value between two
worksheets. This will allow us to use the exact same value on two different worksheets
without rewriting the formula or copying data between worksheets.
1 Locate the cell you wish to reference, and note its worksheet. In our
example, we want to reference cell E14 on the Menu Order worksheet.
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2 Navigate to the desired worksheet. In our example, we'll select the
Catering Invoice worksheet.
3 The selected worksheet will appear.
4 Locate and select the cell where you want the value to appear. In our
example, we'll select cell B2.
5 Type the equals sign (=), the sheet name followed by an exclamation
point (!), and the cell address. In our example, we'll type ='Menu
Order'!E14.
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6 Press Enter on your keyboard. The value of the referenced cell will appear.
If the value of cell E14 changes on the Menu Order worksheet, it will be
updated automatically on the Catering Invoice worksheet.
If you rename your worksheet at a later point, the cell reference will be
updated automatically to reflect the new worksheet name.
Challenge!
1 Open an existing Excel workbook. If you want, you can use the example file
for this lesson.
2 Create a formula that uses a relative reference. If you are using the
example, use the fill handle to fill in the formula in cells E4 through E14.
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Double-click a cell to see the copied formula and the relative cell
references.
3 Create a formula that uses an absolute reference. If you are using the
example, correct the formula in cell D4 to refer only to the tax rate in cell E2
as an absolute reference, then use the fill handle to fill the formula from
cells D4 to D14.
4 Try referencing a cell across worksheets. If you are using the example,
create a cell reference in cell B3 on the Catering Invoice worksheet for cell
E15 on the Menu Order worksheet.
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