Creating and Editing Formulas Using the Formula Bar

A formula is an equation which performs calculations between cells in a worksheet or table. A formula always begins with an equal sign and can contain references, constants, operators or functions. If a formula has more than one operator, Excel will perform exponentiation first, multiplication and division second, and addition and subtraction last. Adding parentheses around an operation will override this order, forcing Excel to perform the calculation within the parentheses first.

To enter a formula in the formula bar:

1. Select the cell in which you want to add the formula.
2. In the formula bar, type an equal sign.
3. Enter the formula, including functions, operators, references, and constants.
4. Click the Enter Formula button .

Formulas can be complex equations. Often times when you first enter a formula, you will find that you did not get the result you intended. This may be because a cell reference has changed, or because the operations are being performed in an undesired order. Use the Formula Bar when you need to edit a formula.

To edit a formula using the Formula Bar:

1. Select the cell containing the formula you want to change.
2. Click inside the Formula Bar.
3. Click and drag to highlight the part of the formula you want to change.
4. Make the changes to the formula.
5. Click the Enter Formula button .

Clicking a cell will add it to the formula as a reference.

If you move worksheets or data around in your workbook, you will need to edit any formulas with absolute references to reflect the new positioning in the workbook. If you use relative references, Excel will update the data for you. For more information, refer to the task Using Absolute and Relative References.

To see the results of your formula, you can also press Enter on the keyboard instead of clicking the Enter Formula button.