If you’re working with Excel, you’ll likely find yourself needing to change formulas from time to time. Whether you’re fixing an error or updating a calculation, it’s important to know how to make changes without disrupting your spreadsheet.
Changing an Excel formula is a simple process that can be done in just a few steps. First, you’ll need to select the cell containing the formula you want to change. From there, you can edit the formula directly in the formula bar or use the cell reference to update the formula in another cell.
It’s important to be careful when making changes to formulas, as even a small mistake can cause errors in your calculations. Always double-check your work and test your formulas to ensure they’re working correctly before finalizing any changes.
Understanding Excel Formulas
Excel formulas are the backbone of any Excel worksheet. They are the key to performing calculations and analysis of data. In Excel, formulas start with the equal sign (=) and can be as simple as adding two numbers together or as complex as performing statistical analysis on large data sets.
Formulas consist of functions, operators, and cell references. Functions are built-in formulas that perform specific tasks, such as calculating the average of a range of numbers or finding the maximum value in a range. Operators are symbols that perform mathematical operations, such as addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*), and division (/). Cell references are used to refer to specific cells in a worksheet, and can be absolute or relative.
It is important to understand the order of operations in Excel formulas, which is similar to the order of operations in mathematics. Excel calculates formulas using the following order: parentheses, exponentiation, multiplication and division (performed left to right), and addition and subtraction (performed left to right).
When creating or editing a formula, it is helpful to use the Formula Bar, which displays the formula in a separate area above the worksheet. This allows you to easily see and edit the formula without having to navigate to the cell itself.
Locating the Formula to Change
Before you can change a formula in Excel, you need to locate it. Here are a few ways to do that:
- Manually locate the cell: If you know the cell where the formula is located, you can simply click on it to select it. The formula will appear in the formula bar at the top of the Excel window.
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Use the Go To feature:
If you’re not sure where the formula is located, you can use the
Go Tofeature to find it. PressCtrl + Gon your keyboard to open theGo Todialog box, then enter the cell reference or range where you think the formula is located.
Once you’ve located the formula, you’re ready to make changes to it.
Editing Formulas
Once you have selected the cell with the formula you want to edit, you can make changes to the formula in the formula bar at the top of the Excel window. Simply click on the formula bar and use your mouse or keyboard to make changes to the formula.
If you need to insert a new function or reference a different cell, you can do so by clicking on the appropriate cell or function in the worksheet. Excel will automatically update the formula in the formula bar to reflect your changes.
If you need to delete part of the formula, you can use the backspace or delete keys on your keyboard to remove the unwanted text. You can also use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the cursor within the formula and make more precise edits.
Keep in mind that if you edit a formula that is used in other cells, those cells will also be updated to reflect the changes you make. This can be useful if you need to make a global change to a formula, but it can also cause unintended consequences if you are not careful.
To avoid errors or unexpected results, it is a good idea to test your edited formula by entering sample data into the worksheet and checking the output. You can also use the “Evaluate Formula” tool in Excel to step through the formula and see how it is calculated.
Test Formula Changes
After making changes to an Excel formula, it’s important to test it to ensure that it’s working as intended. Here are some steps to follow when testing your formula:
- Ensure that the formula is applied to the correct cells and ranges.
- Check that the formula is calculating the correct values by comparing it with the original formula or manually calculating the values.
- Test the formula with different data sets to ensure that it’s flexible and accurate.
- Check for any errors or warnings that may appear when the formula is applied.
Once you have tested the formula and confirmed that it’s working correctly, you can save your changes and continue working on your Excel sheet.
It’s important to note that testing your formula is an essential step in the process of changing an Excel formula. Skipping this step can result in errors and inaccuracies that can be difficult to detect and correct later on.
Saving Changes
After making changes to a formula in Excel, it is important to save those changes to ensure they are not lost. Saving changes in Excel is a quick and easy process that can be done in just a few clicks.
To save changes to a formula, first ensure that the formula bar is open and the formula you want to edit is selected. Then, make any necessary changes to the formula. Once you are satisfied with the changes, click on the “File” tab in the top left corner of the screen.
From the drop-down menu, select “Save” or “Save As” if you want to save a copy of the file with the changes. If you choose “Save As”, you will be prompted to give the file a new name and choose a location to save it.
Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut “Ctrl + S” to quickly save changes to the file. This shortcut will save the file with the same name and in the same location as the original file.
It is a good practice to save changes frequently while working on a file to avoid losing any progress in case of a power outage or other unexpected event. By following these simple steps, you can easily save changes to a formula in Excel and keep your work safe.
Track Changes
Another handy feature within Microsoft Excel is the ability to track changes you’ve made to the workbook.
This will highlight any changes to make you aware of what has changed, especially if you are reviewing somebody else’s work and are providing feedback on improvements.
It can also be useful to track your own changes if you’re not certain on how to properly fix a spreadsheet and are making changes adhoc.
To enable this feature locate the Tools menu and then hover of Track Changes and click Highlight Changes.
Conclusion
Making changes to a spreadsheet can be a little daunting at first: what if you make a change and it breaks the entire spreadsheet? Thankfully there are several measures you can take to edit in Excel, and the most common approach I’ve used is to make unique files on the edits I’ve made each time (using Save As ).
This helps should I need to rollback a change by finding a previous version that didn’t have the erroneous mistakes I made.
