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.

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


2

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.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Deleting a Hyperlink

Hyperlinks can be helpful in some worksheets but bothersome in others. Here's how to get rid of any hyperlinks you don't ...

Discover More

Keeping Table Rows Together

When you create a table that extends beyond a single page, you may want to make sure that the information in a table row ...

Discover More

Nifty Zooming

If you are using a mouse that has a center wheel, you can use the wheel to zoom in and out of your work. This tip shows ...

Discover More

Program Successfully in Excel! This guide will provide you with all the information you need to automate any task in Excel and save time and effort. Learn how to extend Excel's functionality with VBA to create solutions not possible with the standard features. Includes latest information for Excel 2024 and Microsoft 365. Check out Mastering Excel VBA Programming today!

More ExcelTips (ribbon)

Customizing Quick Access Toolbar Icons

The standard way to customize Excel is to add tools to the Quick Access Toolbar. The program provides only a limited ...

Discover More

Using Custom Add-Ins

Once you've created your custom add-in, you need to know how you or other people can use it. Here are the simple steps to ...

Discover More

Finding the Analysis ToolPak Add-In

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 More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is eight minus 3?

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


This Site

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.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.