Changing an Absolute Reference to a Relative Reference or Vice Versa

My Account

Check out

Shopping Cart

JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER
and receive for joining:
	Free eBook Learn More!
	Free Excel ADD-IN
	Free Weekly Excel Tip








F1 eBook (Spanish)

» Changing an Absolute Reference to a Relative Reference or Vice Versa

CATEGORY: Working with Formulas

VERSIONS: All Microsoft Excel Versions

Relative Reference

When a formula is copied, a Relative reference is used. A Relative reference is the distance, in rows and columns, between the reference and the cell containing the formula.
For example: In cell A1, type the number 100, and in cell B1, type the formula =A1. Cell B1 is one column to the right of cell A1. When the formula is copied from cell B1 to cell B10, the distance between the reference and the cell containing the formula remains one column, and the formula in cell B10 is =A10.

Absolute Reference

Select cell B1 from the previous example. In the Formula Bar, select A1, and then press F4. The result is =$A$1.
Copy the contents of cell B1 to cell B10. Notice that the formula does not change – the formula reference remains constant as =$A$1.

The F4 Key

The F4 keyboard shortcut has four states:
State 1: Absolute reference to the column and row, =$A$1
State 2: Relative reference (column) and Absolute reference (row), =A$1
State 3: Absolute reference (column) and Relative reference (row), =$A1
State 4: Relative reference to the column and row, =A1

Screenshot // Changing an Absolute Reference to a Relative Reference or Vice Versa

Rate this tip



1	2	3	4	5

RATING: 4.25
VIEWS: 40890

Email Tip

Print Tip

Add to My Tips

READER COMMENTS (view all comments)

Linking Worksheets and maintaining the constant value
Phyllis Parker wrote on December 31, 1969 19:00 EST

I have a spreadsheet with many rows. If I copy the data I want out of that spreadsheet and move to another spreadsheet and click Link. Is there a way I can sort the data differently in the secondary spreadsheets and it will still be linked to the correct cells in the original without going through each cell and adding the $ signs?
Thank you.

Infectious Greed: How Deceit and Risk Corrupted the Financial Markets

Advanced modelling in finance using Excel and VBA

Excel 2002 For DummiesÂ®

Microsoft Office Xp: Advanced Concepts and Techniques: Word 2002, Excel 2002, Access 2002, Powerpoint 2002

Investments + S&P Card + Powerweb + StockTrak discount coupon

Who Moved My Cheese? An Amazing Way to Deal with Change in Your Work and in Your Life

RELATED MICROSOFT EXCEL TIPS

• Excel VBA books
• Accounting books
• Business Plans
• MS Office books
• Taxes books

VIEW ALL BOOKS

	Advertise With Us
Tips	Add-In in VBA \| Applications - Word, Outlook in VBA \| Array Formulas \| Cells, Ranges, Rows, and Columns in VBA \| Counting \| Custom Functions \| Custom Functions in VBA \| Database Formulas \| Database in VBA \| Date & Time Formulas \| Date & Time in VBA \| Events in VBA \| Excel 2003 \| Excel Chart \| Excel Consolidating \| Excel Counting \| Excel Custom Functions using VBA \| Excel Customizing \| Excel Data \| Excel Dates \| Excel Editing \| Excel Files \| Excel Filter \| Excel Format \| Excel Formula \| Excel General \| Excel Grouping and Outlining \| Excel Importing Text Files \| Excel Information \| Excel Keyboard Shortcuts \| Excel Loan Formulas \| Excel Macros - VBA \| Excel Pivot Tables \| Excel Printing \| Excel Range Name \| Excel Security - Protection \| Excel Sorting \| Excel Style \| Excel Subtotals \| Excel Summing \| Excel Text \| Excel Time \| Excel Tools \| Excel Worksheet, Workbook \| Files, Workbook, and Worksheets in VBA \| Financial Formulas \| Formating in VBA \| General Topics in VBA \| Import and Export in VBA \| Information Formulas \| Keyboard & Other Shortcuts in VBA \| Keyboard Formula Shortcuts \| Links between Worksheet and Workbooks \| Links in VBA \| Logical Formulas \| Lookup Formulas \| Mail - Send and Receive in VBA \| Menus, Toolbars, Status bar in VBA \| Modules, Class Modules in VBA \| Other Q&A Formulas \| Printing in VBA \| Protecting in VBA \| Summing \| Text Formulas \| User Forms, Input boxes in VBA \| Using Loops \| Working with Formulas \|
Tips by Version	Microsoft Excel 97 \| Microsoft Excel 2000 \| Microsoft Excel 2002 \| All Microsoft Excel Versions \| New in Excel 2002 \| New in Excel 2003 - Office 11
Website	Home \| Tip of Hour \| Recommended Tips \| Most Viewed Tips \| Tips by Version \| Submit a Tip \| My Tips Microsoft Excel Tutorials \| Excel Links \| Write for Us \| About Us \| Search Results \| Tip Archives \| Excel Forum \| Excel Forum Archives
Excel Book	Excel 97 Book \| Excel 2000 Book \| Excel 2002 Book \| Excel XP Book \| Book Store

Terms and Conditions of use The applications/code on this site are distributed as is and without warranties or liability. In no event shall the owner of the copyrights, or the authors of the applications/code be liable for any loss of profit, any problems or any damage resulting from the use or evaluation of the applications/code.
Copyright © 2003 ExcelTip.com Microsoft, Microsoft Excel is a U.S. registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation Site Developed By: Varien