A relative reference will change and a mixed reference will partially change. See the related question below.
You use a mixed or an absolute reference. This is done by adding dollar symbols into a cell A1 is a relative reference and will change when copied. $A1 is a mixed reference, in which the row reference changes but the column reference does not. A$1 is a mixed reference, in which the column reference changes but the row reference does not. $A$1 is an absolute reference, so neither the column or row reference changes. In most cases only a mixed reference is needed, though it is common to use an absolute reference. You lock the column reference when copying a formula across a row and you lock the row reference when you are copying a formula down a column. It is only on the very rare occasion that a formula is being copied both down and across, into a block, that an absolute reference is needed.
An absolute cell reference will not change when it is copied.
Absolute Reference
B17 is a relative reference. $B$17 is an absolute reference. See the related question below.
It is a relative reference. If the formula =A1+A2 is copied to B1 then the formula changes to =B1+B2
What determines what type of reference a cell is, is how it is typed, not what happens when you copy it. It is the type of reference that influences how it changes when it is copied, not the other way around. If the formula does not change at all, it would be an absolute reference. The cell references would all have 2 dollars, like $C$5. If it does change, it can be either a mixed or a relative reference. A mixed reference will have one dollar sign, either $C5 or C$5. What direction it is copied will and how it changes, is determined by which dollar you have. The first dollar locks the column, and the second dollar locks the row. A relative reference has no dollars. Copying a formula from C13 to D13, will change the column references only, so if the cell reference is the first kind of mixed, then it won't change.
They are not always necessary. If your formula is not going to be copied then you don't need them. If you are copying a formula using a VLOOKUP function, then the reference to the cells for your table will change and then your formula won't work, because it won't be looking at the correct cells for your table. If you use the dollar signs then the reference to the table will not change when the formula is copied and the function will work correctly. The dollars change them to absolute references, so they stay the same when copied. Without the dollars they are relative references and will change when the formula is copied.They are not always necessary. If your formula is not going to be copied then you don't need them. If you are copying a formula using a VLOOKUP function, then the reference to the cells for your table will change and then your formula won't work, because it won't be looking at the correct cells for your table. If you use the dollar signs then the reference to the table will not change when the formula is copied and the function will work correctly. The dollars change them to absolute references, so they stay the same when copied. Without the dollars they are relative references and will change when the formula is copied.They are not always necessary. If your formula is not going to be copied then you don't need them. If you are copying a formula using a VLOOKUP function, then the reference to the cells for your table will change and then your formula won't work, because it won't be looking at the correct cells for your table. If you use the dollar signs then the reference to the table will not change when the formula is copied and the function will work correctly. The dollars change them to absolute references, so they stay the same when copied. Without the dollars they are relative references and will change when the formula is copied.They are not always necessary. If your formula is not going to be copied then you don't need them. If you are copying a formula using a VLOOKUP function, then the reference to the cells for your table will change and then your formula won't work, because it won't be looking at the correct cells for your table. If you use the dollar signs then the reference to the table will not change when the formula is copied and the function will work correctly. The dollars change them to absolute references, so they stay the same when copied. Without the dollars they are relative references and will change when the formula is copied.They are not always necessary. If your formula is not going to be copied then you don't need them. If you are copying a formula using a VLOOKUP function, then the reference to the cells for your table will change and then your formula won't work, because it won't be looking at the correct cells for your table. If you use the dollar signs then the reference to the table will not change when the formula is copied and the function will work correctly. The dollars change them to absolute references, so they stay the same when copied. Without the dollars they are relative references and will change when the formula is copied.They are not always necessary. If your formula is not going to be copied then you don't need them. If you are copying a formula using a VLOOKUP function, then the reference to the cells for your table will change and then your formula won't work, because it won't be looking at the correct cells for your table. If you use the dollar signs then the reference to the table will not change when the formula is copied and the function will work correctly. The dollars change them to absolute references, so they stay the same when copied. Without the dollars they are relative references and will change when the formula is copied.They are not always necessary. If your formula is not going to be copied then you don't need them. If you are copying a formula using a VLOOKUP function, then the reference to the cells for your table will change and then your formula won't work, because it won't be looking at the correct cells for your table. If you use the dollar signs then the reference to the table will not change when the formula is copied and the function will work correctly. The dollars change them to absolute references, so they stay the same when copied. Without the dollars they are relative references and will change when the formula is copied.They are not always necessary. If your formula is not going to be copied then you don't need them. If you are copying a formula using a VLOOKUP function, then the reference to the cells for your table will change and then your formula won't work, because it won't be looking at the correct cells for your table. If you use the dollar signs then the reference to the table will not change when the formula is copied and the function will work correctly. The dollars change them to absolute references, so they stay the same when copied. Without the dollars they are relative references and will change when the formula is copied.They are not always necessary. If your formula is not going to be copied then you don't need them. If you are copying a formula using a VLOOKUP function, then the reference to the cells for your table will change and then your formula won't work, because it won't be looking at the correct cells for your table. If you use the dollar signs then the reference to the table will not change when the formula is copied and the function will work correctly. The dollars change them to absolute references, so they stay the same when copied. Without the dollars they are relative references and will change when the formula is copied.They are not always necessary. If your formula is not going to be copied then you don't need them. If you are copying a formula using a VLOOKUP function, then the reference to the cells for your table will change and then your formula won't work, because it won't be looking at the correct cells for your table. If you use the dollar signs then the reference to the table will not change when the formula is copied and the function will work correctly. The dollars change them to absolute references, so they stay the same when copied. Without the dollars they are relative references and will change when the formula is copied.They are not always necessary. If your formula is not going to be copied then you don't need them. If you are copying a formula using a VLOOKUP function, then the reference to the cells for your table will change and then your formula won't work, because it won't be looking at the correct cells for your table. If you use the dollar signs then the reference to the table will not change when the formula is copied and the function will work correctly. The dollars change them to absolute references, so they stay the same when copied. Without the dollars they are relative references and will change when the formula is copied.
In most cases where people use an absolute reference, a mixed reference will do. A mixed reference will lock a column or row, but not both. Most formulas are copied either down or across, but rarely both. If a cell needs to be locked in a formula, then we lock the row when copying down or lock the column when copying across. See the related question below for more details on the different kinds of cell references.
An absolute reference. When the formula is copied, the absolute reference will not change.An absolute reference. When the formula is copied, the absolute reference will not change.An absolute reference. When the formula is copied, the absolute reference will not change.An absolute reference. When the formula is copied, the absolute reference will not change.An absolute reference. When the formula is copied, the absolute reference will not change.An absolute reference. When the formula is copied, the absolute reference will not change.An absolute reference. When the formula is copied, the absolute reference will not change.An absolute reference. When the formula is copied, the absolute reference will not change.An absolute reference. When the formula is copied, the absolute reference will not change.An absolute reference. When the formula is copied, the absolute reference will not change.An absolute reference. When the formula is copied, the absolute reference will not change.
Any formula can contain an absolute cell reference. There is no special name for a formula with an absolute reference in it.Any formula can contain an absolute cell reference. There is no special name for a formula with an absolute reference in it.Any formula can contain an absolute cell reference. There is no special name for a formula with an absolute reference in it.Any formula can contain an absolute cell reference. There is no special name for a formula with an absolute reference in it.Any formula can contain an absolute cell reference. There is no special name for a formula with an absolute reference in it.Any formula can contain an absolute cell reference. There is no special name for a formula with an absolute reference in it.Any formula can contain an absolute cell reference. There is no special name for a formula with an absolute reference in it.Any formula can contain an absolute cell reference. There is no special name for a formula with an absolute reference in it.Any formula can contain an absolute cell reference. There is no special name for a formula with an absolute reference in it.Any formula can contain an absolute cell reference. There is no special name for a formula with an absolute reference in it.Any formula can contain an absolute cell reference. There is no special name for a formula with an absolute reference in it.
You would make the cell reference an absolute reference if you are putting the reference into a formula that is going to be copied.
Replicating means copying. So replicating a formula in Excel is copying a formula. This is a very common activity that is done in Excel. You create one formula and then use it in other places on the worksheet.