Share via

why do my formulas look like this?

Thomas Maynard 20 Reputation points
2026-05-27T13:16:07.6366667+00:00

the format of all of my simple sum and avg formulas has changed this morning...

they look like this:

=(SUM(R[-1]C2:R[-1]C)*R27C2)/(((COUNT(R[-5]C2:R[-5]C)-3)R27C2)+18000)

and I want them back to how they were yesterday!

Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | Other | Other
0 comments

Answer accepted by question author

AI answer

2026-05-27T13:16:17.34+00:00

Excel is showing your formulas in R1C1 reference style instead of the usual A1 style.

R[-1]C2 means “row above, column 2”; R27C2 means “row 27, column 2”, etc. This is just a different reference notation; the formulas still work the same.

To switch back to normal A1 references (like B2, B26:B26):

  1. Open Excel and go to File > Options.
  2. Select Formulas.
  3. In the Working with formulas section, clear the checkbox R1C1 reference style.
  4. Click OK.

Your formulas will immediately revert to the usual A1 format.

References:

AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

Was this answer helpful?

0 additional answers

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.