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312 Copying Formulas
If you started dragging without first clicking the Collapse Dialog Box button, Excel automatically expands the Function Arguments dialog box as soon as you release the mouse button. If you clicked the Collapse Dialog Box button, you have to click the Expand Dialog Box button (which replaces the Collapse Dialog Box button located to the right of the argument text box) in order to restore the Function Arguments dialog box to its original size.
As you define arguments for a function in the Function Arguments dialog box, Excel shows you the calculated result following the heading, “Formula result =” near the bottom of the Function Arguments dialog box. When you finish entering the required argument(s) for your function (and any optional arguments that may pertain to your particular calculation), click OK to have Excel close the Function Arguments dialog box and replace the formula in the current cell display with the calculated result.
You can also type the name of the function instead of selecting it from the Insert Function dialog box. When you begin typing a function name after typing an equal sign (=), Excel’s AutoComplete feature kicks in by display- ing a drop-down menu with the names of all the functions that begin with the character(s) you type. You can then enter the name of the function you want to use by double-clicking its name on this drop-down menu. Excel then enters the function name along with the open parenthesis as in =DATE( so that you can then begin selecting the cell range(s) for the first argument.
For details on how to use different types of built-in functions for your spread- sheets, refer to the following chapters in Book III that discuss the use of various categories: Refer to Chapter 2 for information on Logical functions; Chapter 3 for Date and Time functions; Chapter 4 for Financial functions; Chapter 5 for Math and Statistical functions; and Chapter 6 for Lookup, Information, and Text functions.
Copying Formulas
Copying formulas is one of the most common tasks that you do in a typical spreadsheet that relies primarily on formulas. When a formula uses cell references rather than constant values (as most should), Excel makes the task of copying an original formula to every place that requires a similar location a piece of cake. The program does this by automatically adjusting the cell references in the original formula to suit the position of the copies that you make. It does this through a system known as relative cell addresses, whereby the column references in the cell address in the formula change to suit their new column position and the row references change to suit their new row position.