How to Copy Formulas in Excel Using Absolute Cell References

When copying formulas in Excel, you'll find that sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. The key to making sure your formulas work every time is Absolute Cell References. This makes sure that your formula uses the same cell reference each time — wherever it is copied to. Learn how to create an Absolute Cell Reference in this video with Senior Facilitator Gill — understanding how to use Absolute Cell References will allow you to confidently and efficiently expand on your Excel skills!

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Absolute Cell References, or adding in dollar signs ($) to your formulas, are absolutely essential when copying across formulas. It ensures that a formula will always refer to the same cell each time, rather than changing to another cell each time, for example when doing a multiplication that requires a fixed figure (such as VAT or conversion rates).

This tip is guaranteed save you time when working with Excel spreadsheets.

Related blogs

How to Create Partial Absolute Cell References in Excel — Now you’ve mastered Absolute Cell References, take them further with Partial Absolute Cell References, allowing you to fix part of the formula.
How to Create a Pivot Table — If you’ve never used Pivot Tables before, start with this two-minute video.
How to Use the COUNTIF Function in Excel — Save time by quickly counting how many fields match your criteria. Find out how in this two-minute video.

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Claire Lickman

Claire is Head of Marketing at Happy. She has worked at Happy since 2016, and is responsible for Happy’s marketing strategy, website, social media and more. Claire first heard about Happy in 2012 when she attended a mix of IT and personal development courses. These courses were life-changing and she has been a fan of Happy ever since. She has a personal blog at lecari.co.uk.

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