Troubleshooting Excel Formulas with Trace Precedents and Trace Dependents

Awaken the Force within, using Excel's Trace Precedents and Trace Dependents functions to identify problems in your spreadsheet formulas. Blue arrows show formulas that work fine and red arrows show formulas in error. The direction of the arrows shows the relationship.

To display a tracer arrow to each cell that directly provides data to the active cell, on the Formulas tab, in the Formula Auditing group, click Trace Precedents.

To display a tracer arrow to each cell that is dependent on the active cell, on the Formulas tab, in the Formula Auditing group, click Trace Dependents.