Cells in Excel are referred to using relative or absolute references. A formula with relative references changes when the cell's position does.

How to Format Relative References in Excel. Microsoft Excel relies on two fundamental reference types when addressing other cells. Absolute references -- which are denoted with a "$" -- lock a ...

TL;DR Key Takeaways : Excel tables handle structured references inconsistently, behaving as absolute when copied and as relative when dragged, which can lead to formula errors.

Is there a way to hold down shift/ctrl, etc to make a cell reference an absolute reference when entering a formula instead of having to go back and enter $?

Referencing can become difficult, especially if you’re using structured referencing. Instead, reference a spill range so you can use the hashtag shortcut.

If you’re new to using Microsoft Excel, or an experienced user looking for a good visual reference, this handy cheat sheet covers eight helpful tricks for becoming a spreadsheet pro.