Excel like a finance pro.
The functions, VBA, and shortcuts a finance operator actually uses — curated, with CFO examples. Prefer them pre-built? Grab a ready-made model.
Edit the active cell in place
F2Editing & referencesJump into edit mode and see, in colour, exactly which cells a formula uses.
Difficulty
1What it does
F2 puts the active cell into edit mode with the cursor at the end — no double-click needed. Its real value is auditing: when you F2 into a formula, Excel outlines every cell it references in matching colours, so you can see at a glance what feeds the result and catch a reference pointing at the wrong place.
2The shortcut
- 1Select the cell (don't double-click).
- 2Press
F2— the cell opens for editing and its references light up in colour. - 3Edit if needed, then
Enter; or pressEscto leave it unchanged.
3Before → after
Press the shortcut to play it on a sample sheet.
Before — B2 shows its result
| A — Revenue | B — Gross profit | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 110,000 | 44,000 |
The cell shows 44,000. Press F2 to see the formula behind it and which cells it uses.
4When you use it
- See which cells a formula actually references before trusting it.
- Fix one character in a long formula without retyping it.
- Spot a reference that drifted to the wrong column or row.
5Related functions
- Toggle absolute references — see its own page, with a live demo.
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