Wauvel

Excel like a finance pro.

← The library

Formulas shortcut

Select the cells that refer to this one (dependents)

Ctrl + ] on Windows, Ctrl + ] on Mac.

OccasionalDifficulty 1200 · Proficient
Practice · 2 questions →

When to use it

Selects the cells whose formulas refer to the active cell: its dependents. Answers "what breaks if I change this".

The shape of it

Windows
Ctrl + ]
Mac
Ctrl + ]

Worked examples

  • Find dependents

    Click an input cell, press Ctrl + ] → Every formula on the sheet that uses it is selected

    Before you change or delete the input.

  • Full impact

    Ctrl + Shift + } → Dependents at every level

    The full downstream impact.

  • Unused inputs

    Ctrl + ] shows nothing → Nothing on this sheet uses the cell

    Other sheets may; use Trace Dependents.

Worth knowing

  • Trace Dependents (Alt, M, D) draws arrows and shows other-sheet links as a dashed line.
  • Ctrl + [ goes the other way.
  • Combine with Find All for cross-sheet usage.

Where it goes wrong

  • Only the current sheet is searched.
  • Dependents through INDIRECT are not found.

Related

F4Alt + =F9Ctrl + `Ctrl + Shift + EnterCtrl + F3

Learn the moves here — or let Wauvel run them on your numbers.

Meet your AI CFO →

One CFO-grade Excel tip a week

A short, practical email for finance operators — functions, shortcuts, and the moves that save an afternoon. Free, unsubscribe anytime.