How to find and select dependents in Google Sheets

Choose 'Precedents' to find cell dependents in column

Why you need this tool

When managing complex spreadsheets, identifying which cells are affected by the value of a specific cell is essential for troubleshooting, auditing, or understanding data flow. This tool helps you quickly locate and select dependents - cells that rely on the value of another cell.

What are dependents?

Dependents are cells that reference the value of another cell in their formulas. For example, if cell C3 contains the formula =B2 * 2, then C3 is a dependent of B2. Identifying these cells enables you to:

Understand how changes to a cell affect other parts of your spreadsheet.
Audit dependencies for accuracy.
Simplify debugging and error resolution.

How to use the tool

First, you need to install the Select Special addon for Google Sheets. Visit the instruction page to learn how to do it step by step.

1. Select the source cell

Choose the cell whose dependents you want to identify. This is the cell whose value is used in formulas in other cells.

2. Choose the scope of dependents

You can specify how many levels of dependents to display:

First Level: Displays only the cells that directly reference the selected cell in their formulas.
All Levels: Traces all dependent cells, including indirect ones, across multiple levels of references.

3. Execute the selection

Press the Select button in the add-on interface. The tool will highlight all dependent cells based on your selected scope, allowing you to trace and analyze the impact of changes efficiently.