Excel 2007: What are Reference Styles?

Lesson 20: What are Reference Styles?

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What are reference styles?

Every Excel spreadsheet contains rows and columns. Most of the time, columns are identified by letters (A, B, C), and rows are identified by numbers (1, 2, 3). In Excel, this is known as the A1 reference style. However, some prefer to use a different method in which columns are also identified by numbers. This is known as the R1C1 reference style. In the image below, the spreadsheet on the left is using the R1C1 reference style, and the spreadsheet on the right is using the A1 reference style.

While the R1C1 reference style is helpful for certain situations, you'll probably want to use the A1 reference style most of the time. This tutorial will use the A1 reference style. If you're currently using the R1C1 reference style, you'll need to turn it off.

To turn off the R1C1 reference style:

Click the Microsoft Office button.
Click Excel Options.
The Excel Options dialog box will appear. Click Formulas, uncheck the box next to R1C1 reference style, then click OK. Excel will now use the A1 reference style.