Cells in Excel are referred to using relative or absolute references. A formula with relative references changes when the cell's position does. If, for example, a cell has a formula "=A1" and you copy ...

Another example: If you have cells named SubTotal and Tax, and type a formula =subtotal*tax Excel converts that to =SubTotal*Tax automatically. Because of this and because Excel puts functions in all ...

Q: My partner says there’s an F4 shortcut to creating absolute cell references in Excel formulas, but for the life of me I can’t make it work. What am I doing wrong? A: Your partner is right, but ...

Design is best, but when you're stuck with an existing data structure, it helps to know how to work around trouble. Susan Harkins explains. Excel sheets grow — sometimes by adding new functionality, ...

Q. Sometimes an Excel convenience can become a handicap. For example, if you move a formula to a new location, Excel will automatically change the formula to reflect the new location. But that ...