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Last Updated: 11/8/2013 Excel Tips Page 2 of 15
Cell Referencing
All data in Excel is stored in cells of worksheets. Worksheets are similar in concept to tables with
columns and rows. A cell is the point where a column and row meet. When referencing data in a “cell”
of a worksheet, you use a Cell Reference. A cell reference consists of a combination of the column letter
and row number that intersect to form the cell.
In Excel, there are two main types of cell references: relative cell references and absolute cell
references. Relative cell references identify the location of a cell by its column letter and row number
combination, with no added symbols. In the screenshot below, the currently selected cell would be
referenced as E4, which is a relative cell reference. Relative cell references are the default method of
referencing cells in Excel.
Absolute cell references also reference cells by a combination of column letter and row number, but
these references include a dollar symbol ($) before the column letter and before the row number. In
the screenshot above, the currently-selected cell would be referenced as $E$4 if I wanted to use an
absolute cell reference.
Using Relative vs. Absolute Cell Referencing
Cell references are frequently used in Excel formulas and functions. When relative cell references are
used in formulas or functions, if the formula/function is copied from the original cell to other cells, the
relative cell references will automatically change to reflect the new location of the formula/function.
When absolute cell references are used in formulas or functions, then if the formula/function is copied
from the original cell to other cells, the absolute cell references will not change—they will retain the
original cell reference. Note that a combination of relative and absolute references can be used in
formulas and functions.