Here is a common problem. Imagine you are looking a complex spreadsheet, aptly titled “Corporate Strategy 2020.xlsx” which as 17 tabs, umpteen formulas and unclean structure. Whoever designed it was in insane hurry. The workbook has formulas like this, =SUM(Budget!A2:A30, 3600)+7925 .
It was as if Homer Simpson created it while Peter Griffin oversaw the project.
So how do you go about detecting all cells containing formulas with hard-coded values?
Alas, the usual methods fail
The usual methods to audit formulas are of no help here. Let’s see:
Show formulas (CTRL+`): Since we have way too many formulas, this approach requires a lot of squinting and gallons of coffee.
Go to special > Constants: This will only detect constant cells (ie input cells), but not cells containing formulas like =IF(2=2, Budget2014!A2, Budget2015!A2)
Trace Precedents: This can be used only for formulas that contain all hard-coded values (ex: SUM(1,2,3) will have no arrows, where as SUM(A1,A2, 7) will have some arrows
FORMULATEXT(): There is a new function called as FORMULATEXT() introduced in Excel 2013. This can tell us what is the formula in a cell. But we still need to develop additional logic to see if the formula text contains any constants.
Let’s build ‘Detect hard-coded formulas’ feature for Excel
The beauty of Excel is that, if there is something you can’t do with on screen features, you can build it. This is where VBA comes handy.
So we can create a hasConstants() user defined function that takes a cell as input and tells us TRUE or FALSE. True if the cell has constants (or hard-coded values) as formula parameters and False otherwise.
But what should be the logic for hasConstants()?
The process for detecting hard-coded values can be defined like this:
- Read the formula from left to right
- For each argument of the formula
- See if the argument is a valid reference or name
- If not, break the loop and return TRUE
- Return FALSE
How do we detect only the parameters?
There is no direct way to extract only the parameters of a formula. So what we do is we split the formula in to an array using the delimiter COMMA.
And we check each item of this array to see if it is
- a function call (like SUM, COUNT, VLOOKUP)
- a valid name or reference
What about nested functions?
The approach works the same way.
What about arithmetic, text or comparison operations?
For example, a formula like =A1+A2+17 should throw TRUE as it has hard-coded value.
So what we do is, we replace all such operators with delimiter (COMMA) before splitting the formula text.
We can consider +-*/%&><= as operators.
So how does the code look like?
Here is how it looks like:
Const COMMA = ","
Const OPERATORS = "+-*/%^&><="
Public Function hasConstants(thisCell As Range) As Boolean
'finds out if thisCell has a formula with constants in it
'i.e. hardcoded values
Dim formula As String, args As Variant, i As Long
Dim testRange As Range
formula = replaceOperators(Mid(thisCell.formula, 2))
args = Split(formula, COMMA)
For i = LBound(args) To UBound(args)
If Not (Len(args(i)) = 0 Or Right(args(i), 1) = "(" Or args(i) = ")") Then
'not a function or null, must be one of the parameters
'see if it is a valid name or reference
If Not nameExists(CStr(args(i))) Then
'name or reference doesn't exist, must be a constant / hard-coded value
hasConstants = True
Exit Function
End If
End If
Next i
End Function
Function replaceOperators(formula As String) As String
'replace operators such as +-/%^&>< with COMMA
Dim char As Long
For char = 1 To Len(OPERATORS)
formula = Replace(formula, Mid(OPERATORS, char, 1), COMMA)
Next char
formula = Replace(formula, "(", "(" & COMMA)
formula = Replace(formula, ")", COMMA & ")")
replaceOperators = formula
End Function
Function nameExists(name As String) As Boolean
'Check if a name or reference is valid
Dim testR As Range
On Error GoTo last
Set testR = Range(name)
nameExists = True
Set testR = Nothing
last:
End Function
How to use this code?
Simple. Copy this code and add it to your personal macros workbook. (Tip: how to setup personal macros workbook?)
Then use it in your complex workbook like this:
- To check if a cell contains hardcoded formulas, write =hasConstants(A1)
- To check if an entire range has hardcoded values,
- Select the range
- Go to home > conditional formatting > new rule
- Select formula type rule
- Type =hasConstants(top-left-cell relative reference)
- Format by filling a color or changing font style to detect easily
- Done
Does it work in all cases?
For most normal formulas this approach should work. I have tested it with various combinations and it seems to hold up good. I suggest you to double check the results for any type II errors (ie missed hard coded formulas) during initial few rounds.
Also, please share your observations in the comments so that we can improve this code.
Download Example Workbook
Click here to download this VBA code. After downloading the file, go to Module 1 (press ALT+F11) to see the code. Copy it or modify it as you see fit.
Your comments please?
I never had the need to check for hard-coded values until recently. But once I had that need, I found there is no simple way to do it. I believe this kind of check can be very useful for people in modeling, risk management or auditing positions.
What about you? How do you check for hard coded formulas? What methods do you use? Please share your thoughts and tips in the comments section.
More on spreadsheet auditing & risk management:
Check out below articles to learn more about how to audit spreadsheets and prevent risk of miscalculation:
- Spreadsheet risk management – 4 part series
- Show all names & references
- Go to special, a powerful way to navigate your workbooks
37 Responses to “Quickly Change Formulas Using Find / Replace”
Chandoo,
this is a really cool stuff what I use quite often. In addtion this method also could be a good choice to switch the reference type of the formulas from relative to absolute or vice versa. (just simply replace the $ in the same way).
Andras
@Andras: you are right, we can use find / replace to change references, reference types etc. Now, only if they had regex in find/ replace, we could so much more 🙂
@Tony Rose: Thank you. This is very useful and powerful feature. I even use it for cleaning up data. While formulas are good, they are not the solution for every problem. Often when I need more powerful cleanup / changing, I copy paste the stuff to text editors like notepad++ and then use their find/replace to do the dirty task.
What if i have to change the formula from ='Analysis'!C1 to 'Analysis 1'!C1?
I tried doing it using Find /Replace but could't. Encountered some errors.
And is there a way to change this using VBA???
Hi,
Did you ever get a reply to this?
Thanks
Ollie
to make your life easier, suggest you to avoid (Space) in worksheet names whenever possible. Consider (underscore) instead.
As the first formula wouldn't have the single apostrophes (since there's no space) need to include that in replace. So, search for:
Analysis
and replace with:
'Analysis 1'
This could be the most useful tips I've seen in a while. I use this all the time and can instantly change 400 formulas with a few clicks. Like so many other functions in Excel, I don't know what I would do without this one.
Keep 'em coming!
[...] on formulas: 5 areas where mouse kicks keyboard’s butt | Edit formulas in bulk using Find / Replace | Excel Formulas Online [...]
THANKS BRO
You, sir, are a god among men...
This is really cool. Your just save me hours of work. Thanks.
Thanks so much for this fix! It saved me tons of work. I'm muddling my way through and this really helped!
Oh... My... God!
This tip just saved me about 2 hours every month! I can't believe how easy it is to use. Now, can somebody tell me who I should call to get a refund for the previous 100 hours I spent manually changing formulas cell by cell?
Thanks so much!
THANK YOU!!!
THANK YOU!!!!
You saved me hours, I had a sheet that has more than 500 formulas, and i needed to replace the year in all of them, you saved me hours
Awesome info on replacing cell addresses in formulas. I have never heard about Ctrl+` before. Thank you!
I have something inside a formula like:
=sum(A1, A2*10) all over I now need to get rid of the *10 {=sume(A1, A2)} I thought to use the find replace trick above but with a blank in the replace but it then outputs just zeros. I thought I could trick it by doing *1 but then it just turns into =*1) with none of my references. Does anyone have an idea how to do this?
The Ctrl+ trick is cool.
@T
Instead of replacing with a blank try replacing
*10)
with
)
Thank you! This literally will save me hours and hours of time, and that's without losing my sanity in the process!
I have Sheet(1), Sheet(2), Sheet(3), etc ... Sheet(100).
Then there's a summary tab where I want to recap information on all those different sheets. Is there anyway to create a formula on the Summary tab to get ='Sheet(1)'!B$29 copied down for all 100 sheets without having to change each sheet # within the formula by hand?
@Brigitte
If you have a list of the sheet names in A2:A100
In B2: =INDIRECT("'"&A2&"'!$B$29")
Copy down
or if you don't have a list of the sheets names you can make it up on the fly
=INDIRECT("'sheet("&ROW()-1&")'!$B$29")
Copy down
Thanks for the suggestion. However, I copied your formula right back to my file and it didn't work. So I did it another way. I put the tab/cell reference in one cell and then did an =INDIRECT() to capture that information.
K2="'Sheet("&L2&")'!B$29" which has a value of 'Sheet(1)'!B$29
B2=INDIRECT(K2) which now has a value of 40 (contents on Sheet(1).
Thank you!!!!
Thank you ..
Hi, Out of all the formulae, I wish to replace the formula which has generated 0 value with blank space? I am unable to do it with find and replace function,
Please suggest.
Thanks.
Chandoo, you literally just saved me about 2 hours of work. I had a document with a daily report in two formats. The second formate just linked to all the appropriate cells in the other format (different sheets). This was 180 references that needed to be changed and I had to make this for a 4 week period (aka 28 different sheets at 180 references to change per sheet).
Thanks so much.
I have tried this way and without using the Ctrl-` formula view
Either way, I am trying to do something simple, but it won't let me.
I have a bunch of cells with a simple math formula like
=-(0.5*20)
various values in each cell, multiplied by 20
I simply want to change the multiplier globally from 20 to 25. But when I tell it to find *20 and replace it with *25, it replaces the entire cell contents with *25, rather than just replacing the *20 portion of the cell contents.
Can anyone assist with this? Seems so simple, but Excel isn't letting me do it.
Search/Replace 20 or 20) with a cell Reference eg A1 or A1)
Then put the value 25 in A1
By using a * in the search it replaces all the text
how to find a specific cell's value in a column & replace replace it with another cell value i actually need a method to replace a data in ca column and replace with the value i have in a specific cell can i give a [ location ] of data to what i need to find and then give row or column range to where i need to find and the given value & then give a [ location ] of data to what i want to be replace with the find and replace by row & column range & than by specific criteria and than by specific location.
please help.
how to find a specific cell’s value in a column & replace replace it with another cell's value.
i actually need a method to find a specific cell's data in a column and replace it with the value i have in a specific cell.
can i give a [ location ] of data to what i need to find and then give row or column range from where i need to find the given value & then give a [ location ] of data to what i want to be replace with.
find and replace by row & column range & than by specific criteria and than by specific location.
please help.
how to find a specific cell’s value in a column & replace it with another cell’s value.
i actually need a method to find a specific cell’s data in a column and replace it with the value i have in a specific cell.
can i give a [ location ] of data to what i need to find and then give row or column range from where i need to find the given value & then give a [ location ] of data to what i want to be replace with.
"find and replace by row & column range & than by specific criteria and than by specific location."
in more than 100 sheets in entire workbook
please help.
This is a great tool, does anyone knows an easiest way??
I'm working with a system that has over 59000 references... so every time the replace all is activated. I lose an entire day.
i actually needs to find cell number "D12" in column "D" and replace with Cell Number "B8" for example
find what = Cell Number "D12" John McNamara
find Where = in Column "D"
Replace with = Cell Number "B8" Bieber D'Souza
Replace Range = Column "D"
In which Sheet = All Sheets in Work Book (more than 100 Sheets)
Note: in every Sheet Cells Number "D12" & "B8" containing Different Employ Name but the find rang and replace rang are same in every sheet and find what cell number and replace with cell number are same also.
please help!
thank you. saved lot of time.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Hi, I am trying to figure out how to use RE to find and replace several values in a column. Using find and replace does not work because of the values I am working with. I have a column with hundreds of rows that have a description of several operating systems and other info, which looks like this: Windows Server 2008 R2 Member Server Security Technical Implementation Guide; Windows 2008 Member Server Security Technical Implementation Guide; Solaris 10 10 SPARC SECURITY TECHNICAL IMPLEMENTATION GUIDE; and Windows Windows 2003 Member Server Security Technical Implementation Guide.
I need to be able to find and replace (or basically curtail the descriptions) to be Windows 2008 R2; Windows 2008; Windows 2003; and Solaris 10. BUT when I run find and replace with just *2008*, it finds every instance, including the ones with R2 at the end. I need it to only change the ones with 2008 to Windows 2008 and the ones that have 2008 R2 to Windows 2008 R2. I know it is possible, but I have no clue on how to write a macro to do this.
Thanks for your help,
Gerard
Wickedly efficient workaround. Excel really is a powerhouse program, all you have to do is dig into it. Ctl ~ exposes the formulas, and Ctl H allows for the multi edit. Brilliant, Chandoo!