Excel Relative References

In Excel, a relative reference is a cell reference that adjusts based on its relative position when copied or moved to another location. When you refer to a cell using a relative reference, Excel adjusts the reference relative to the position of the formula.

For example, if you have a formula in cell B2 that references cell A1 with a relative reference, when you copy the formula to cell C3, the reference will automatically adjust to cell B2. This adjustment happens automatically based on the relative position of the cells.

Relative references are the default type of reference used in Excel formulas. To create a relative reference, simply refer to a cell without using dollar signs ($) before the column letter and row number.
For example:

• A relative reference to cell A1 would be simply written as A1.
• A relative reference to the cell one column to the right and one row down from the current cell would be written as B2.

Relative references are very useful because they allow you to easily replicate formulas across different cells while maintaining the same relative position for the referenced cells.