View and control data

Through the “Control” menu we can visualize relationships between cells in order to detect any errors.

If this is not available, you can create it (see Lesson 5: efficient use of toolbars).
Below you will find a worksheet with an error in cell G17.

• Place the cursor on the error
• Click the ‘Trace Error’ icon

• Excel shows you an arrow indicating the cause of the error and tells you how to fix the error in the formula bar

You can also show the source cells in a formula:

• Place the cursor in a formula cell and click the ‘Trace Precedents’ option. Blue arrows indicate the direct formula from the selected cells. Click the ‘Trace Precedents’ button again and then a next level of appropriate precedent cells are shown.

To remove these arrows click the button ‘Delete Trace’ .
Conversely, you can also detect the formulas that refer to a selected cell.

• Select a cell
• Click on the “Trace Target”  button
• The blue arrows show the designated target cells.
• Click again on ‘Trace Target’ and another level of target cells are designated.
• To remove the tracer arrows, press the “Delete Trace” button

You can also have linked data in another worksheet or another workbook, but both workbooks must be open

• Select a linked cell
• Click on the “Trace Precedents”

You see that there is now a black dotted line with a worksheet icon.

• Double click on the arrow icon to the worksheet
  In the “Go to” dialog box of the linked cell
• Choose the “Reference”
• Click OK

• The linked cell in another worksheet is immediately selected

Notes

To create a text note and to add it to the toolbar, choose “Notes”

If it is not present, you can create it (see Lesson 5: efficient use of toolbars)

• Select a cell to which you want to attach a note
• Click on “New Note”
• Type your comment

• Click on another cell, and the text is added
• The worksheet has a red dot in the cells with a note
• Hover with the mouse pointer over that cell, and the note is shown

 

You can edit notes

You can delete notes 

You can add more than one note 

You can view all notes

The “new notes” button automatically changes to the ‘edit notes’ button if there is already a note in the cell.

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