How to find and select precedents in Google Sheets

Choose 'Precedents' to find formula precedents

Why you need this tool

When working with complex spreadsheets, understanding the dependencies between cells can be crucial for auditing formulas or troubleshooting errors. This tool helps you easily locate and select precedents - cells that directly influence the value of another cell.

What are precedents?

Precedents are cells that are referenced by a formula in another cell. For example, if cell B2 contains the formula =A1 + A2, then A1 and A2 are precedents of B2. Identifying these cells allows you to:

Trace relationships between data points.
Audit formulas for accuracy.
Quickly understand how a value is derived.

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 target cell

Choose the cell whose precedents you want to identify. This is the cell containing the formula that references other cells.

2. Choose the scope of precedents

You can specify how many levels of precedents to display:

First Level: Shows only the cells directly referenced by the formula in the selected cell.
All Levels: Traces all precedents, 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 precedent cells based on your selected scope, making it easier to trace and analyze dependencies.