Maintaining formula consistancy when copying formulas

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nathan
  • Start date Start date
N

Nathan

Hello,

I am creating a spreadsheet of aggregate spending data. I have several
categories, including total, housing, food, apparel, child care, etc. I have
a row of raw numbers and want to create a second row of %. For example, each
expenditure as a % of total expenditure. Let's say total=A1 and housing =A2.
In the % row, total =B1 and housing =B2. So, the basic formula I would use to
calculate expenditures as a % of total would be (A1/A1) for total and (B1/A1)
for housing.

However, when I copy the first formula into the adjacent cell, Excel makes
assumptions about what I'm doing and I end up with (B1/B1) instead of
(B1/A1). Is there a way to specify what I want here?

I could just use the raw number (B1/45000), except I know the values will
change as I continue with this project, so I just want to use an algorithm.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks much!
Nathan
 
=B1/$A$1

The dollars anchor the reference, pressing F4 as you enter it will cycle
through the options.
 
Nathan said:
Hello,

I am creating a spreadsheet of aggregate spending data. I have several
categories, including total, housing, food, apparel, child care, etc. I have
a row of raw numbers and want to create a second row of %. For example, each
expenditure as a % of total expenditure. Let's say total=A1 and housing =A2.
In the % row, total =B1 and housing =B2. So, the basic formula I would use to
calculate expenditures as a % of total would be (A1/A1) for total and (B1/A1)
for housing.

However, when I copy the first formula into the adjacent cell, Excel makes
assumptions about what I'm doing and I end up with (B1/B1) instead of
(B1/A1). Is there a way to specify what I want here?

I could just use the raw number (B1/45000), except I know the values will
change as I continue with this project, so I just want to use an algorithm.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks much!
Nathan
Click to expand...


Look at "Switch between relative, absolute, and mixed references" in the help file.
 
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