Why did the excel formula become RC?

Mondo Workplace Updated on 2024-02-15

Formulas in Excel are displayed in R1C1 style (for example, RC is the current cell, R[1]C[1] is the offset relative to the current cell) instead of the default A1 style (for example, A1 is the cell in the first column of the first row), because the reference style of Excel was changed. Under the A1 referencing style, columns are represented by letters (A, B, C, etc.), rows are represented by numbers, etc.). In the R1C1 referencing style, both rows and columns are represented by numbers, where R stands for row, C stands for column, and numbers represent row and column numbers.

If you wish to change the formula in Excel from R1C1 style back to the more common A1 style, you can follow these steps:

Open the excel option

In Excel, click on the "File" menu.

Select "Options" to open the Excel Options dialog box.

Access the formula settings

In the Excel Options dialog box, click the "Formulas" category on the left.

Change the reference style

In the Formula option, find the checkbox for Use r1c1 reference style.

If the checkbox is checked, uncheck it to switch back to the A1 reference style.

Save and close

Click OK to save the changes and close the dialog box.

As soon as you change the settings, the formula should appear in an A1 style. This setting is global and applies to all workbooks in Excel unless you change it again.

The r1c1 referencing style has its uses, especially when writing relative referencing, to make it easier to copy and understand formulas. However, most users are more accustomed to the A1 citation style because it is more straightforward and easy to understand in most cases.

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