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If a formula keeps showing an old number after you edit an input, check Excel's calculation mode. This example changes one quantity in a fictional order sheet. The expected total moves from $138.00 to $163.00. Download the practice workbook and independent answer check before starting.
The workbook opens with cached starting answers and Manual calculation set in the file. Use a copy. On desktop Excel, verify the current setting first because other open workbooks can affect calculation mode.
1. Confirm the starting formulas
On the Orders sheet, the first order row is KIT-101: B5 = 2, C5 = $25.00, and D5 = $50.00. The other two line totals are $48.00 and $40.00. The grand total D8 is $138.00.
Select D5 and read the formula bar. It should show:
=B5*C5Select D8. It should show:
=SUM(D5:D7)If a cell displays the formula as text, has no leading equals sign, or shows an error code, that is a different symptom. Preserve the formulas while you diagnose it.
2. Check the calculation setting
Excel for the web: Open Formulas > Calculation Options. Microsoft lists Automatic, Automatic Except for Data Tables, and Manual. Confirm Manual for this exercise. The web setting affects this workbook only. You can later select Calculate Workbook from the Formulas tab; at narrower widths it may be in the More menu on that tab.
Excel desktop for Windows: Open Formulas > Calculation Options and inspect the selected mode. You can also find the setting at File > Options > Formulas. Microsoft says a desktop mode change affects all open workbooks. If another workbook relies on Manual mode, coordinate before changing it.
If your copy opened in Automatic mode, choose Manual temporarily in this practice copy to reproduce the stale-result case. Interface labels may vary by version and language.
3. Make the controlled edit
Change B5 from 2 to 3. Under Manual calculation, D5 may still display $50.00, and D8 may still display $138.00. Those values are stale after the edit. If Excel recalculates the first edit after opening or importing the workbook, confirm Manual in the menu and make another harmless edit before drawing a conclusion. In our private web test, the first edit recalculated but later edits displayed stale values until Calculate Workbook. The correct arithmetic for B5 = 3 is 3 × $25 = $75, then $75 + $48 + $40 = $163.
Do not overwrite D5 or D8 with those numbers. Their formulas need to remain in place.
4. Recalculate and verify
- Excel for the web: Choose Calculate Workbook on the Formulas tab. At narrower widths, open More on that tab to find it.
- Excel desktop: Choose Formulas > Calculate Now, or press F9.
Check both cells against the answer check: D5 = $75.00 and D8 = $163.00. The increase from the initial total is $25.00. If the results still differ, inspect B5:C7 and the two formulas before assuming calculation mode is the only cause.
5. Restore Automatic and test again
Choose Formulas > Calculation Options > Automatic if you want dependent formulas to update after ordinary edits. Make one more harmless quantity edit in your practice copy and confirm that both the line total and grand total change without choosing Calculate Workbook. You can restore B5 = 2 afterward; the expected grand total is again $138.00.
Common questions
Should I always leave Automatic on? Automatic is Excel's default for normal calculation. Manual can be an intentional performance choice for a complex workbook, so check the workbook owner's workflow before changing a shared desktop session.
Does this fix formulas displayed as text? No. This guide addresses formulas that exist and show an old numeric result. A visible formula string or an error requires another diagnosis.
Does F9 work the same in the web app? Use the visible Calculate Workbook control in Excel for the web. Microsoft documents F9 for desktop manual recalculation; browser keyboard behavior can depend on the browser and system.
Sources and visual evidence
Microsoft's calculation-mode guidance and formula-error guidance were checked 13 October 2026. The companion video's app panels are labelled illustrative diagrams, not app captures. The practice XLSX's formulas, cached starting values, and Manual-mode metadata were checked locally. In a private Excel for the web copy, Manual was selected, the first edit after import recalculated, a later edit showed stale values, and Calculate Workbook returned $75/$163.
Practice downloads.
The exercise files contain invented information. Save a local copy before editing.