
Excel automatically adjusts the cell references as it goes down the cells in the column. Hit enter to make the calculation and display the result.Ĭopy and paste the cell that contains the formula to the rest of the cells in that column. Select the empty cell directly beside the first cell in the column and input the relevant formula using the cell reference and the value you want to subtract, such as =C1-10. If you have a list of values in a column and you'd like to subtract a set value from the entire column, Excel allows you to easily copy and paste a formula to do so. Related: How to highlight Excel skills on your CV How to subtract a value from every cell in a column You can also combine cell references with hard-coded values where relevant., as follows: It's possible to add multiple cell references to the formula if you're subtracting multiple values. The results appear in your selected cell.

Hit enter for Excel to perform the calculation.

Type a subtraction sign (-) and then the cell reference of the second value. The cell reference is the letter and number that identifies the column and row location of the cell, such as "B1" or "F36". Type an equal sign (=) and instead of typing the first value, type in the cell reference that contains the cell value. Select the cell in which you want the result of the calculation to display. You can subtract values inside individual cells to avoid having to hard-code the values when doing a calculation. This is useful if the values are set to change because you can simply update the values in the cell and the calculation updates automatically. Manually entering the values in a calculation like this is hard-coding. Select a cell and type an equal sign (=) to start the formula.Įnter the first value, then a subtraction sign (-).Įxcel performs the calculation and displays the result in the cell.


Learning how to subtract in Excel when the calculation involves two values is simple. How to subtract in Excel using two values In this article, we explain how to subtract in Excel using a range of different methods plus how to enhance your Excel skills. You can use these tasks to make simple or complex calculations that help with useful business functions, like forecasting, scheduling and databasing. It's helpful to start learning how to use the program by performing basic tasks like additions, subtractions, multiplications and divisions. Excel is a powerful data management and analysis program with a wide variety of tools available but, for many users, it's relatively simple arithmetic calculations that get the most use.
