1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:04,048 Your first order calculates ten dollars of tax, but copied formulas 2 00:00:04,048 --> 00:00:06,213 below return zero or unexpected amounts. 3 00:00:06,213 --> 00:00:10,181 The subtotal reference should move from row to row, while the 4 00:00:10,181 --> 00:00:12,706 single tax-rate cell should remain fixed. 5 00:00:12,706 --> 00:00:16,675 In this fictional exercise, we will place ten percent in F 6 00:00:16,675 --> 00:00:20,643 one, use an absolute reference for that cell, and reconcile three 7 00:00:20,643 --> 00:00:22,086 order taxes by hand. 8 00:00:22,686 --> 00:00:26,569 Paste the practice CSV into a new sheet so B two 9 00:00:26,569 --> 00:00:29,746 through B four contain one hundred, eighty, and fifty. 10 00:00:29,746 --> 00:00:31,864 Enter ten percent in F one. 11 00:00:31,864 --> 00:00:33,982 Use column C for tax amount. 12 00:00:33,982 --> 00:00:37,865 The expected amounts are ten, eight, and five because each subtotal 13 00:00:37,865 --> 00:00:39,630 is multiplied by one tenth. 14 00:00:39,630 --> 00:00:43,513 Keeping the rate in one visible cell makes a future rate 15 00:00:43,513 --> 00:00:44,925 change easier to review. 16 00:00:45,525 --> 00:00:49,436 If C two contains equals B two times F one, filling 17 00:00:49,436 --> 00:00:50,859 down changes both references. 18 00:00:50,859 --> 00:00:54,770 C three points to B three times F two, and C 19 00:00:54,770 --> 00:00:57,259 four to B four times F three. 20 00:00:57,259 --> 00:01:01,170 In our exercise F two and F three are blank, so 21 00:01:01,170 --> 00:01:02,948 the copied result is wrong. 22 00:01:02,948 --> 00:01:06,859 This is normal relative-reference behavior, not a broken multiplication function. 23 00:01:07,459 --> 00:01:11,259 Replace the formula in C two with equals B two times 24 00:01:11,259 --> 00:01:12,641 dollar F dollar one. 25 00:01:12,641 --> 00:01:16,786 The dollar symbols lock both the rate's column and its row. 26 00:01:16,786 --> 00:01:19,550 Copy or fill C two through C four. 27 00:01:19,550 --> 00:01:23,350 Excel changes B two to B three and B four, but 28 00:01:23,350 --> 00:01:26,460 keeps dollar F dollar one unchanged in every formula. 29 00:01:26,460 --> 00:01:30,260 Read one copied formula to verify the reference actually stayed fixed. 30 00:01:30,860 --> 00:01:34,411 Check each result against simple arithmetic: one hundred times ten 31 00:01:34,411 --> 00:01:38,317 percent is ten, eighty times ten percent is eight, and fifty 32 00:01:38,317 --> 00:01:40,093 times ten percent is five. 33 00:01:40,093 --> 00:01:43,644 The sum of the three tax amounts is twenty-three. 34 00:01:43,644 --> 00:01:47,550 If your values are one hundred times larger, check whether F 35 00:01:47,550 --> 00:01:51,457 one contains ten rather than ten percent or zero point one. 36 00:01:52,057 --> 00:01:55,404 Only the shared rate should use an absolute reference here. 37 00:01:55,404 --> 00:01:59,087 If you lock B two as dollar B dollar two, every 38 00:01:59,087 --> 00:02:02,099 copied row will use the first order's subtotal. 39 00:02:02,099 --> 00:02:05,782 Mixed references, such as dollar F one or F dollar one, 40 00:02:05,782 --> 00:02:09,799 lock only a column or row and are useful in other layouts. 41 00:02:09,799 --> 00:02:13,481 For this straight column fill, dollar F dollar one is unambiguous. 42 00:02:14,081 --> 00:02:18,148 The exercise is complete when C two, C three, and C 43 00:02:18,148 --> 00:02:23,325 four read ten, eight, and five, and each formula still points to F one. 44 00:02:23,325 --> 00:02:28,871 The answer file also includes the twenty-three-dollar combined tax as a quick reconciliation. 45 00:02:28,871 --> 00:02:32,938 In real work, check the displayed percentage and any rounding policy 46 00:02:32,938 --> 00:02:36,265 before using the result in a customer-facing amount.