When you're viewing a formula, you would typically read the formula bar to determine which cells the formula uses, and this is where the distinct blue arrows of Formula Auditing make your life a lot easier.
First, select a cell that contains a formula, then switch to the Formulas tab on the ribbon. In the Formula Auditing group, click the Trace Precedents button.
Trace Precedents will send a blue arrow to all of the cells which are used in the creation of the formula that is currently selected.
If the cell that is selected does not contain a formula the Trace Precedents error alert will appear.
If you'd like to find out if a cell is required elsewhere on the spreadsheet, click the Trace Dependents button. If the cell is used by any other calculation, a blue arrow will direct you to that value.
At any stage you can use the Remove Arrows button to clear the arrows on your screen.
This really is any easy way to figure out how your spreadsheets are inter linked, I certainly use it often when faced with assisting someone else with their Excel files - it helps me get to grips with their spreadsheets in half the time.
Trace Precedents will send a blue arrow to all of the cells which are used in the creation of the formula that is currently selected.
If the cell that is selected does not contain a formula the Trace Precedents error alert will appear.
If you'd like to find out if a cell is required elsewhere on the spreadsheet, click the Trace Dependents button. If the cell is used by any other calculation, a blue arrow will direct you to that value.
At any stage you can use the Remove Arrows button to clear the arrows on your screen.
This really is any easy way to figure out how your spreadsheets are inter linked, I certainly use it often when faced with assisting someone else with their Excel files - it helps me get to grips with their spreadsheets in half the time.
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