Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Tracing Precedent Cells.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 28, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365
Excel allows you to display precedent cells in much the same way as you do dependent cells, as described in a previous tip. All you need to do is select the cell whose precedents you want to see, and then click the Trace Precedents tool on the Formulas tab of the ribbon (in the Formula Auditing group). Excel graphically displays arrows that show the relationship between the selected cell and any other cells in the worksheet. If you click on the tool again, the next level of precedent cells are displayed.
Precedent arrows are removed either by clicking on the Remove Arrows tool or by clicking the down-arrow to the right of the Remove Arrows tool and choosing one of the options there.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (8627) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Tracing Precedent Cells.
Excel Smarts for Beginners! Featuring the friendly and trusted For Dummies style, this popular guide shows beginners how to get up and running with Excel while also helping more experienced users get comfortable with the newest features. Check out Excel 2019 For Dummies today!
The Analysis ToolPak is used to add some very handy capabilities to Excel. If you don't have it installed, and you can't ...
Discover MoreThe Trace Precedents auditing tool can be quite helpful in seeing which cells "feed into" a particular formula. The ...
Discover MoreThe standard way to customize Excel is to add tools to the Quick Access Toolbar. The program provides only a limited ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2023-10-28 23:11:30
Niefer
Precedents: Ctrl+[
Dependents: Ctrl+]
2023-10-28 11:40:20
J. Woolley
Re. dependent cells, see https://excelribbon.tips.net/T008626_Tracing_Dependent_Cells.html
For more on these subjects, see https://excelribbon.tips.net/T008271_Accessing_Dependent_and_Precedent_Information.html
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
Comments