Absolute vs.

Relative references

To create an absolute reference, you insert a dollar sign ($) before the column and row of the cell refe
For example, the cell reference $B$8 is an absolute reference, whereas the cell reference B8 is a relat
If you copy a formula that contains the absolute reference $B$8 to another cell, the cell reference $B$
On the other hand, if you copy a formula containing the relative reference B8 to another cell, the refe

Example of Relative Reference

1
2
3
4
5

formula
=C12

result
1
2
3
4
5

When copied down, the row chan

based on it's relative positions.

Example of Absolute Reference

1
2
3
4
5

formula
=$C$19

result
1
1
1
1
1

When copyed down, the reference

When would I use an Absolute Reference?

Auto Sales Report - Oct 2011
# of vehicles
Total
Person
sold
Sales
Jack
16
$ 400,000
Sarah
9
$ 171,000
Paul
22
$ 440,000
Karen
17
$ 425,000
John
8
$ 200,000
Total
72
$1,636,000

% of Total
Sales
0.244499
0.104523
0.268949
0.25978
0.122249
1

all of these fractions

need the same base
(cell E39)
we can't simple copy down
without using absolute reference

n and row of the cell reference.

cell reference B8 is a relative reference.
ell, the cell reference $B$8 does not change.
8 to another cell, the reference B8 changes.

opied down, the row changes

n it's relative positions.

opyed down, the reference stays the same

ese fractions
e same base

simple copy down

using absolute reference format

Financial Analysis Department (YOU)

Date
Sales Person # of sales
1/1/2008 Karen
3
1/12/2008 Paul
1
1/23/2008 Paul
5
1/17/2008 Dave
2
2/2/2008 Doug
4
2/5/2008 Marlene
1
2/9/2008 Marlene
4
2/9/2008 Cindy
3
2/14/2008 Doug
2
2/19/2008 Cindy
2

Avg Sale
$
766.67
$ 4,267.00
$
900.00
$
495.00
$
613.75
$ 3,411.00
$ 1,250.00
$ 1,033.33
$ 1,272.00
$ 2,155.50

Total Sales
$ 2,300.00
$ 4,267.00
$ 4,500.00
$
990.00
$ 2,455.00
$ 3,411.00
$ 5,000.00
$ 3,100.00
$ 2,544.00
$ 4,311.00

3/4/2008 Dave
3/17/2008 Paul
3/22/2008 Dave
3/25/2008 Karen
3/21/2008 Karen
3/28/2008 Doug
4/2/2008 Dave
4/2/2008 Cindy
4/6/2008 Paul
4/7/2008 Marlene
4/11/2008 Marlene
4/22/2008 Doug
4/27/2008 Marlene
4/30/2008 Marlene
5/1/2008 Karen
5/2/2008 Paul
5/3/2008 Paul
5/4/2008 Dave
5/5/2008 Doug
5/6/2008 Marlene
5/7/2008 Marlene
5/8/2008 Cindy
5/9/2008 Doug
5/10/2008 Cindy
5/11/2008 Dave
5/12/2008 Paul
5/13/2008 Dave
5/14/2008 Karen
5/15/2008 Karen
5/16/2008 Doug
5/17/2008 Dave
5/18/2008 Cindy
5/19/2008 Paul
5/20/2008 Cindy
5/21/2008 Dave
5/22/2008 Paul
5/23/2008 Dave
5/24/2008 Karen

$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$

$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$

2
4
7
3
1
3
4
6
2
2
4
4
3
3
3
1
5
2
4
1
4
3
2
2
2
4
7
3
1
3
4
6
2
2
2
4
7
1

1,993.50
522.00
328.57
1,133.33
4,500.00
330.00
613.75
568.50
2,500.00
1,550.00
636.00
1,077.75
1,329.00
696.00
766.67
4,267.00
900.00
495.00
613.75
3,411.00
1,250.00
1,033.33
1,272.00
2,155.50
1,993.50
522.00
328.57
1,133.33
4,500.00
330.00
613.75
568.50
2,500.00
2,155.50
1,993.50
522.00
328.57
4,500.00

3,987.00
2,088.00
2,300.00
3,400.00
4,500.00
990.00
2,455.00
3,411.00
5,000.00
3,100.00
2,544.00
4,311.00
3,987.00
2,088.00
2,300.00
4,267.00
4,500.00
990.00
2,455.00
3,411.00
5,000.00
3,100.00
2,544.00
4,311.00
3,987.00
2,088.00
2,300.00
3,400.00
4,500.00
990.00
2,455.00
3,411.00
5,000.00
4,311.00
3,987.00
2,088.00
2,300.00
4,500.00

Commission Commission
%
$
7.0%
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%
6.0%
5.0%
5.0%
8.0%
6.0%
8.0%
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%
7.0%
7.0%
6.0%
5.0%
8.0%
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%
6.0%
5.0%
5.0%
7.0%
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%
6.0%
5.0%
5.0%
8.0%
6.0%
8.0%
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%
7.0%
7.0%
6.0%
5.0%
8.0%
5.0%
8.0%
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%
7.0%

5/25/2008 Doug
5/26/2008 Dave
5/27/2008 Cindy
5/28/2008 Paul
5/29/2008 Marlene
5/30/2008 Marlene
5/31/2008 Doug
6/1/2008 Marlene
6/2/2008 Marlene
6/3/2008 Karen
6/4/2008 Paul
6/5/2008 Paul
6/6/2008 Dave
6/7/2008 Doug
6/8/2008 Marlene
6/9/2008 Marlene
6/10/2008 Cindy
6/11/2008 Doug
6/12/2008 Cindy
6/13/2008 Dave
6/14/2008 Paul
6/15/2008 Dave
6/16/2008 Karen
6/17/2008 Karen
6/18/2008 Doug
6/19/2008 Dave
6/20/2008 Cindy
6/21/2008 Paul
6/22/2008 Cindy
6/23/2008 Dave
6/24/2008 Paul
6/25/2008 Dave

3
4
6
2
2
4
4
3
3
3
1
5
2
4
1
4
3
2
2
2
4
7
3
1
3
4
6
2
2
2
4
7

$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$

330.00
613.75
568.50
2,500.00
1,550.00
636.00
1,077.75
1,329.00
696.00
766.67
4,267.00
900.00
495.00
613.75
3,411.00
1,250.00
1,033.33
1,272.00
2,155.50
1,993.50
522.00
328.57
1,133.33
4,500.00
330.00
613.75
568.50
2,500.00
2,155.50
1,993.50
522.00
328.57

$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$

990.00
2,455.00
3,411.00
5,000.00
3,100.00
2,544.00
4,311.00
3,987.00
2,088.00
2,300.00
4,267.00
4,500.00
990.00
2,455.00
3,411.00
5,000.00
3,100.00
2,544.00
4,311.00
3,987.00
2,088.00
2,300.00
3,400.00
4,500.00
990.00
2,455.00
3,411.00
5,000.00
4,311.00
3,987.00
2,088.00
2,300.00

6.0%
5.0%
8.0%
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%
6.0%
5.0%
5.0%
7.0%
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%
6.0%
5.0%
5.0%
8.0%
6.0%
8.0%
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%
7.0%
7.0%
6.0%
5.0%
8.0%
5.0%
8.0%
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%

From the Sales Department

Commission Rates
Person
Rate
Doug
6.0%
Dave
5.0%
Cindy
8.0%
Marlene
5.0%
Paul
5.0%
Karen
7.0%

=VLOOKUP(look for this, look in this area, bring back what's in this column, approximate TR

lumn, approximate TRUE or exact FALSE match)

Date
1989
2010
2011
2011

Sample Earthquakes
Richter Scale
Region
Magnitude
San Francisco
6.9
Haiti
7.0
New Zealand
6.3
Japan
9.0

Strength
strong
strong
moderate
great

Richter Scale
Magnitude
2.0
3.9
4.9
5.9
6.9
7.9
8.9
9.9
10.0

Strength
micro
minor
light
moderate
strong
major
great
great
massive

=VLOOKUP(look for this, look in this area, bring back what's in this column, approxima

Description
Micro earthquakes, not felt.
Often felt, but rarely causes damage.
Noticeable shaking of indoor items, rattling noises. Significant damage unlikely.
major damage to poorly constructed buildings over small regions, slight damage to well-designed buildings
Can be destructive in areas up to about 160 kilometres (99 mi) across in populated areas.
can cause serious damange over large areas
can cause serious damange over
devastating over areas several thousand kilometers across
never recorded, widespread devastation over very large areas

olumn, approximate TRUE or exact FALSE match)

City
Atlanta
Miami
Pittsburgh
Nashville
Baltimore

Air Quality
Rating
Health Rating
125 Unhealthy
45 Good
175 Unhealthy
75 Moderate
225 Very Unhealthy

AQI Scale
1
51
101
201
301

Instructions:
The Air Quality Index (AQI) provides information about an area's pollution conditions.
Above on the right is a table showing the AQI scale and health ratings.
The air quality for five major cities is shown above.

Use the VLOOKUP function to assign an AQI health rating to each city (looking at the table, what type of match is appropr
(Note: Do not include column headings in the table range.)
After you complete this problem, click on Problem #2 sheet tab.

Solution:
Health Rating
Unhealthy
Good
Unhealthy
Moderate
Very Unhealthy

Health Rating
Good
Moderate
Unhealthy
Very Unhealthy
Hazardous

, what type of match is appropriate?)

Storm Scale
Minimum Sustained
Winds (mph)
0
39

Storm Category
Tropical Depression
Tropical Storm

74
96
111
131
155

1
2
3
4
5

2005 Atlantic Storms (Partial List)*

#

Name
Category
Dates
4 Dennis
3 Jul 4-18
9 Irene
1 Aug 4-18
12 Katrina
5 Aug 24-30
15 Ophelia
1 Sep 6-23
17 Rita
5 Sep 18-26
24 BETA
2 Oct 26-31
*Source:weather.unisys.com

Instructions:
Use the VLOOKUP formula to assign a category rating to each storm in the table
based on the Storm Scale table located in the upper left corner of the worksheet.
After you complete this problem, click on Problem #3 sheet tab.
Solution:
Dennis
Irene
Katrina
Ophelia
Rita
BETA

Category
3
1
5
1
5
2

ms (Partial List)*
Sustained
Winds (mph)
130
90
175
75
155
100

This is the last exercise, once you are done, save your file and drag/drop to the Inbox folder "VLOOKUP Here"

Junior Partner
Madden
Barnes
Cleaver

# of Cases Won
11
22
19

Bonus
$2,500
$8,000
$6,500

Bonus
# of Cases Won Junior Partner
10
$2,000
11
$2,500
12
$3,000
13
$3,500
Senior Partner # of Cases Won
Bonus
14
$4,000
Emerson
25
$19,000
15
$4,500
Shaw
19
$13,000
16
$5,000
Hargrove
14
$8,000
17
$5,500
18
$6,000
Directions:
19
$6,500
20
$7,000
Use VLOOKUP to determine the bonus amounts for each partner.
21
$7,500
22
$8,000
Create two separate formulas--one for Junior and one for Senior Partners`
23
$8,500
24
$9,000
Solution:
25
$9,500
Junior Partner
Senior Partner
26
$10,000
$2,500
$19,000
27
$10,500
$8,000
$13,000
28
$11,000
$6,500
$8,000
29
$11,500

To name the lookup table:

Select cells F3:H22 (column headings are not included)
Click in the name box located at the left of the formula bar
Type the name Bonus
Press ENTER

Bonus
Senior Partner
$4,000
$5,000
$6,000
$7,000
$8,000
$9,000
$10,000
$11,000
$12,000
$13,000
$14,000
$15,000
$16,000
$17,000
$18,000
$19,000
$20,000
$21,000
$22,000
$23,000