Highlight cell references in formula

[blimbert]

Good morning - I have an excel file with hundreds of rows containing data inputs and formulas. The file is quite complex, and needs to be distributed. I think some people may get confused on exactly what the forumlas are doing, so I was hoping to be more blatant about identifying the cells the formula references by simply highlighting the background of the reference cells when a cell with a formula is selected.

I know that when a cell is edited that contains a formula the reference cell's border is highlighted a certain color, I'm trying to modify this by not having to edit the cell with the formula, as well as changing the background color.

For example, if cell A3 contained =A1+A2, when cell A3 was selecting, cell A1 would be highlight with some color, and cell A2 would be highlighted with another.

Any ideas on the coding?
Thanks,
Brian

 

[Oaktree]

Welcome to the board!

Can't you just press F2 in the cell with the formula?

Or use auditing --> trace precedents?

 

[blimbert]

Thanks for the quick response, Oaktree. My concern with the default method is twofold. 1) Because there's so many forumals and cells, I don't want to have to make users do this method manually. 2) Because my user audience is less skillful with excel.

Hence, I'm trying to modify this by not having to edit the cell with the formula, as well as changing the background color.

Any thoughts?
Regards,
Brian

 

[Oaktree]

Try Greg Truby's suggestion at the bottom of this thread:

http://mrexcel.com/board2/viewtopic.php?t=107297&highlight=highlight+precedents#javascript:void(0);