The $ sign in Excel is tiny, but it's why your formulas break when you move them

The $ sign in Excel is tiny, but it's why your formulas break when you move them Adaeze Uche/MakeUseOf By  Adaeze Uche Published May 31, 2026, 1:00 PM EDT In 2021, after catching the tech bug as a kid and earning a degree in communications, Ada got into tech writing by editing crypto guides. Ada's expertise now spans Windows, Android (especially Samsung devices), mobile apps, and productivity tools through several years of hands-on exploration. She's published over 100 articles on MakeUseOf and sites like TechNerdiness since 2023. Her knack for breaking down complex stuff into engaging articles has earned nods from tech enthusiasts. You'll likely find Ada curled up with a riveting book when she's not testing the latest shiny tech toy or uncovering its how-tos through her articles. It's her way to unplug and fuel her passion for lifelong learning. Sign in to your MakeUseOf account Add Us On follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap For some people, broken formulas feel like a normal part of using Excel. Once a formula in their Excel spreadsheet stops working when dragged across a spreadsheet, they just resort to entering formulas row by row instead. That’s such a pain, though, especially since your formulas don't have to break the moment you move them. In many cases, the difference between a formula working perfectly in one row and breaking in another comes down to whether you added the $ sign. This symbol tells Excel exactly which values you want it to calculate. More often than not, the problem is that you’ve unintentionally told it to calculate the wrong values. Related 3 Excel formulas you’re still wasting too much time on You don’t need more effort; you need better formulas. Posts 1 By  Adaeze Uche Your formulas aren’t really breaking Excel just moved your references because that’s w