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What is the benefits using cell reference instead of cell values when creating a formula?
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
You can use the same formula for different sets of cells. If you had to type the values each time, you would have to retype the formula every time you want to use it for a different set of cells. But with relative cell references, when you copy a cell containing a formula, the cell references are updated automatically. For example, if the formula in A1 is =B1+C1 and you copy A1 to E5, the formula in E5 will be =F5+G5.
Wiki User
∙ 11y ago
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoYou would want to use a cell reference as opposed to a constant value whenever you believed that the value might change (in other words it is a variable).
Example:
Just imagine that in one cell you had a value that was the average of some other values (i.e. you had a formula in a cell that calculated the average of a given range). Now imagine that you are given some new information and need to change one of the values in this range (there could be many reasons that you might need to do this). This would obviously cause the average to change.
If you had a formula elsewhere that relied on this average, but which referred to a constant value, instead of a cell that actually calculated the average, then your formula would be inefficient. You would have to manually change it! This is unnecessarily time wasting and liable to introduce human error.
The above, of course, is just one (very simple) example out of a great many that could be provided.
The point is that spreadsheets can quickly become quite (or exceedingly) complicated, depending on their usage, and frequently have formulas which rely on the values calculated in other formulas. If you use constant values in your formulas then they are not flexible to a change in the values of the data. Sometimes this is perfectly acceptable; often it is not.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoYes. That way formulas don't need to change if you have a new value. If a formula was something like:
=10+5
All it would do is add 10 and 5. If you want to add any other numbers, you have to change the formula.
=A2+B2
Doing it this way means the formula does not have to be changed and you can put whatever values you want in the two cells. It also means you can see the two values in the cells and the total in the formula cell. You'll only see the total if done the first way.
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoYou can use the same data in multiple formulas. Also, your value is easy to see in a separate cell, without opening the formula to look at it.
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What is the way to verify that a formula references the cells you want it to reference?
Use absolute references. e.g. $B$12 instead of just B12.
What are the disadvantage of using formula in excel instead of using cell reference?
Using a formula which does not reference any cells means that the result is fixed, as the values are fixed. The result will only change if the formula is changed. Using cell references allows you to have a formula using variables. If the data changes then the result of the formula changes. The question is a little odd however because it is almost certain you will want to, and are able to, use both; cell references within formulas.
What is range names?
In a spreadsheet, a cell or a group of cells can be given a name to make them easier to reference. So a list of sales in cells for B2 to B25, could be give the range name "Sales" which could then be used in formulas instead of the cell range reference. This makes it easier for users instead of having to remember what cells a range is made up of. The first of these two would be easier to remember and makes the formula a lot clearer:=SUM(Sales)=SUM(B2:B25)In a spreadsheet, a cell or a group of cells can be given a name to make them easier to reference. So a list of sales in cells for B2 to B25, could be give the range name "Sales" which could then be used in formulas instead of the cell range reference. This makes it easier for users instead of having to remember what cells a range is made up of. The first of these two would be easier to remember and makes the formula a lot clearer:=SUM(Sales)=SUM(B2:B25)In a spreadsheet, a cell or a group of cells can be given a name to make them easier to reference. So a list of sales in cells for B2 to B25, could be give the range name "Sales" which could then be used in formulas instead of the cell range reference. This makes it easier for users instead of having to remember what cells a range is made up of. The first of these two would be easier to remember and makes the formula a lot clearer:=SUM(Sales)=SUM(B2:B25)In a spreadsheet, a cell or a group of cells can be given a name to make them easier to reference. So a list of sales in cells for B2 to B25, could be give the range name "Sales" which could then be used in formulas instead of the cell range reference. This makes it easier for users instead of having to remember what cells a range is made up of. The first of these two would be easier to remember and makes the formula a lot clearer:=SUM(Sales)=SUM(B2:B25)In a spreadsheet, a cell or a group of cells can be given a name to make them easier to reference. So a list of sales in cells for B2 to B25, could be give the range name "Sales" which could then be used in formulas instead of the cell range reference. This makes it easier for users instead of having to remember what cells a range is made up of. The first of these two would be easier to remember and makes the formula a lot clearer:=SUM(Sales)=SUM(B2:B25)In a spreadsheet, a cell or a group of cells can be given a name to make them easier to reference. So a list of sales in cells for B2 to B25, could be give the range name "Sales" which could then be used in formulas instead of the cell range reference. This makes it easier for users instead of having to remember what cells a range is made up of. The first of these two would be easier to remember and makes the formula a lot clearer:=SUM(Sales)=SUM(B2:B25)In a spreadsheet, a cell or a group of cells can be given a name to make them easier to reference. So a list of sales in cells for B2 to B25, could be give the range name "Sales" which could then be used in formulas instead of the cell range reference. This makes it easier for users instead of having to remember what cells a range is made up of. The first of these two would be easier to remember and makes the formula a lot clearer:=SUM(Sales)=SUM(B2:B25)In a spreadsheet, a cell or a group of cells can be given a name to make them easier to reference. So a list of sales in cells for B2 to B25, could be give the range name "Sales" which could then be used in formulas instead of the cell range reference. This makes it easier for users instead of having to remember what cells a range is made up of. The first of these two would be easier to remember and makes the formula a lot clearer:=SUM(Sales)=SUM(B2:B25)In a spreadsheet, a cell or a group of cells can be given a name to make them easier to reference. So a list of sales in cells for B2 to B25, could be give the range name "Sales" which could then be used in formulas instead of the cell range reference. This makes it easier for users instead of having to remember what cells a range is made up of. The first of these two would be easier to remember and makes the formula a lot clearer:=SUM(Sales)=SUM(B2:B25)In a spreadsheet, a cell or a group of cells can be given a name to make them easier to reference. So a list of sales in cells for B2 to B25, could be give the range name "Sales" which could then be used in formulas instead of the cell range reference. This makes it easier for users instead of having to remember what cells a range is made up of. The first of these two would be easier to remember and makes the formula a lot clearer:=SUM(Sales)=SUM(B2:B25)In a spreadsheet, a cell or a group of cells can be given a name to make them easier to reference. So a list of sales in cells for B2 to B25, could be give the range name "Sales" which could then be used in formulas instead of the cell range reference. This makes it easier for users instead of having to remember what cells a range is made up of. The first of these two would be easier to remember and makes the formula a lot clearer:=SUM(Sales)=SUM(B2:B25)
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