Excel Tutorial: Auditing Formulas with Trace Precedents

If you have formulas that are based on the contents of another cell, you have precedent cells. If you have problems with a formula or result, you can trace the precedent cells to help track down the problem. The Trace Precedents command is useful to see the trail of data relationships. The Trace Precedents command allows you to show tracer arrows to show the relationship between the active cell and the precedents to that cell. 

• Tracer arrows are blue when pointing from a cell that provides data to another cell.
• Red tracer arrows indicate an erroneous value.
• Tracer arrows are black when pointing from a cell in another worksheet.
• The other worksheet is represented by a worksheet icon. 

If you prefer, watch the Video Tutorial below.

If tracer arrows do not show, you will need to turn on the objects in the Options window. 

Use the following procedure.

• Select the File Tab
• Select Options.
• Select the Advanced tab.
• Under the Display options for this workbook, make sure the workbook you are using is displayed.
• The For objects, show option should be All.

If a cell has a precedent that is in another worksheet, the other worksheet must be open.

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How to Join Cells using Excel Concatenate

Excel Functions can seem overwhelming, but once they are broken down, they can be very easy, but can provide you with useful results.

Here's how to Join Cells using the Excel Function Concatenate.

You may read the steps here or view the video version below.

Do you need a Full Name field to import into a particular program? But, you only have First Name and Last Name fields in Excel? There are many times when you need to Merge or Join Cells in Excel - this tip shows you how easy it really is:

Insert a New Column.
Type =CONCATENATE(Cell1,Cell2,etc)

Using the formula above, here is an example of the results:

Cell A1             Cell B1              Cell C1           RESULTS Cell D1
Go                    Ask                   Debbie            GoAskDebbie

If these are the results you wish, simply Copy the formula down the column to include all rows you wish.

Let's say you need a Space or a Comma between each of the cells once they have been merged. To do this, type your formula as follows:

=CONCATENATE(Cell1," ",Cell2," ",etc.)

This would create the following result from the above scenario "Go Ask Debbie." Notice now there are spaces between the cell contents.

Get creative this can help you create many different types of results.

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