In Excel, what do the dollar signs mean in $A$1

[Guest]

In Excel, what do the dollar signs mean in $A$

 

[Bob Phillips]

It makes that part of the cell reference absolute, so that when you copy a
formula to another cell, that part of the cell doesn't change. For example

cell B1: = SUM(A1:A10)

copy that to D1 and the resultant formula changes to =SUM(C1:C10)

cell B1: =SUM($A$1:$A$10)

copy that to D1 and the resultant formula changes to =SUM($A$1:$A$10)

cell B1: =SUM($A1:$A10)

copy that to D4 and the resultant formula changes to =SUM($A4:$A13)

--
HTH

Bob Phillips

(remove nothere from email address if mailing direct)

 

[adscrim]

It means that the column and row references are locked.

for example, if you typed =SUM(A1,A2) in cell A3, cell A3 would contai
the sum of values in A1 and A2. If you then copied cell A3 and paste
into cell B3, excel would convert the formula to =SUM(B1,B2).

If instead you typed =SUM($A$1,$A$2), when you pasted the formula th
cell refences would remain the same as they had been locked.

You can also lock either column or row.

Also, highlighting the a cell reference in the formula bar and hittin
F4 will lock the cell refernce for you so you don't have to type th
dollar signs. Hitting F4 repeatedly will toggle through the lockin
choice

 

[Pimamedic]

Means that cell is a absolute reference so when you copy the formual it is
contained in that cell reference wont change