Excel Question: Is this possible

[Ace]

I want to permanently format cells that are part of a formula in another cell.

example: Cell A1 contains =b1+z1+a2

I want to highlight cells b1, z1, a2 automatically. Is this possible?

[Prototype]

I enjoy a good excel challenge, but I don't quite get what you're asking.

Are you asking that if when you put cells in a formula that they are automatically highlighted?

[burn_this_city]

Depends what you're trying to do. If you want it to calculate off the same cells while you go down rows you could use $b$1+$z$1+$a$2

[Ace]

to proto -->Yes,

or to put it better, I already have a formula that includes a bunch of reference points. I want all those reference points to stay highlighted.

Basically if I double click a cell with a formula, excel temporarily highlights the cells that are part of it...temporarily. I need this to be permanent

[Ashartus]

I'm also not sure what you're asking. Are you thinking of how the cells are highlighted when you click inside the formula? If that's the case, couldn't you just manually highlight b1, z1 and a2? Or does the formula in A1 change?

[burn_this_city]

Do you just want the colored outline? You could change the border color under format cells.

[Ace]

My issue is that my formula covers a much larger range, and there are several of them. It would take too long to manually format the used cells.

[Prototype]

As far as I know, there's no way to permanantly, automatically do it, but I'll see what I can find.

EDIT: After some searching, I can't find it without "Virtual Basic" coming into play, which is outside my knowledge base. Not saying there's an absolute answer withing VBA... but it seems to be coming up.

[yads]

Try the Trace precedents option. That will draw arrows from the dependent cells back to the formula cell.

[Ace]

Originally Posted by yads

Try the Trace precedents option. That will draw arrows from the dependent cells back to the formula cell.

Thanks!, that accomplished what I needed.