What in Excel is a group of one or more cells in a worksheet?

When you link a cell in Excel to a cell from another worksheet, the cell that contains the link shows the same data as the cell from the other worksheet. The cell that contains the link is called a dependent cell. The cell in another worksheet that contains data to which the link refers is called a precedent cell. Dependent cells automatically change if the precedent cells change. If you want to link multiple cells from another worksheet, you can use an array function, which lets you link a range of cells using one formula.

Table of Contents Show

Guide on How to Group in Excel
Keyboard Shortcuts Sheet
Excel Group Function
Example of How to Group in Excel
Why You Should Never Hide Cells in Excel
Download Excel Group Template
Additional Resources
What is a group of cells in Excel called?
What is called a group of worksheet in Excel?
What is called a collection of one or more worksheet in MS Excel?

Click the worksheet tab at the bottom of the screen that contains a range of precedent cells to which you want to link. A range is a block or group of adjacent cells. For example, assume you want to link a range of blank cells in “Sheet1” to a range of precedent cells in “Sheet2.” Click the “Sheet2” tab.
Determine the precedent range’s width in columns and height in rows. In this example, assume cells A1 through A4 on “Sheet2” contain a list of numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively, which will be your precedent cells. This precedent range is one column wide by four rows high.
Click the worksheet tab at the bottom of the screen that contains the blank cells in which you will insert a link. In this example, click the “Sheet1” tab.
Select the range of blank cells you want to link to the precedent cells. This range must be the same size as the precedent range, but can be in a different location on the worksheet. Click and hold the mouse button on the top left cell of the range, drag the mouse cursor to the bottom right cell in the range and release the mouse button to select the range. In this example, assume you want to link cells C1 through C4 to the precedent range. Click and hold on cell C1, drag the mouse to cell C4 and release the mouse to highlight the range.
Type “=,” the worksheet name containing the precedent cells, “!,” the top left cell of the precedent range, “:” and the bottom right cell of the precedent range. Press “Ctrl,” “Shift” and “Enter” simultaneously to complete the array formula. Each dependent cell is now linked to the cell in the precedent range that’s in the same respective location within the range. In this example, type “=Sheet2!A1:A4” and press “Ctrl,” “Shift” and “Enter” simultaneously. Cells C1 through C4 on “Sheet1” now contain the array formula “{=Sheet2!A1:A4}” surrounded by curly brackets, and show the same data as the precedent cells in “Sheet2.”

The best way to keep spreadsheets organized

Guide on How to Group in Excel

Grouping rows and columns in Excel[1] is critical for building and maintaining a well-organized and well-structured financial model. Using the Excel group function is the best practice when it comes to staying organized, as you should never hide cells in Excel. This guide will show you how to group in Excel with step-by-step instructions, examples, and screenshots.

Keyboard Shortcuts Sheet

Looking to be an Excel wizard? Increase your productivity with CFI's comprehensive keyboard shortcuts guide.

Excel Group Function

The Excel group function is one of the best secrets a world-class financial analyst uses to make their work extremely organized and easy for other users of the spreadsheet to understand.

Reasons to use the Excel Group Function:

To easily expand and contract sections of a worksheet
To minimize schedules or side calculations that other users might not need
To keep information organized
As a substitute for creating new sheets (tabs)
As a superior alternative to hiding cells

The function is found in the Data section of the Ribbon, then Group.

Example of How to Group in Excel

Let’s look at a simple exercise to see how it works. Suppose we have a schedule in a worksheet that is becoming quite long, and we want to reduce the amount of detail that’s shown. The screenshots below will show you how to properly implement grouping in Excel.

Here are the steps to follow to group rows:

Select the rows you wish to add grouping to (entire rows, not just individual cells)
Go to the Data Ribbon
Select Group
Select Group again

You can repeat the steps above as many times as you like, and you can also apply it to columns as well.

Once you’re finished, you can press the “-” buttons in the margin to collapse the rows or columns.

If you want to expand them again, press the “+” buttons in the margin, as shown in the screenshot below.

There is also a “1” button in the top left corner to collapse all groups, and a “2” button to expand all groups.

Why You Should Never Hide Cells in Excel

Though many people do it, you should never hide cells in Excel (or spreadsheets either, for that matter). The reason is that Excel does not make it clear to the user of the spreadsheet that cells have been hidden, and thus they may go unnoticed.

The only way to see that cells are hidden is to notice that the row number or column number suddenly jumps (e.g., from row 25 to row 167).

Since other users of the spreadsheet may not notice this (and you may forget yourself) you should never hide cells in Excel.

Download Excel Group Template

You can download the Template for free if you wish to use it as an example or starting point for how to group in Excel and apply it to your own work and financial analysis.

Additional Resources

Thank you for reading CFI’s guide to Group in Excel. To continue learning and advancing your career, these additional CFI resources will be helpful:

List of 300+ Excel Functions
Keyboard Shortcuts
What is Financial Modeling?
Financial Modeling Courses

What is a group of cells in Excel called?

RANGE. A range is a group of two or more cells in a worksheet. The cells in a range can be adjacent or nonadjacent. Commands executed by Excel will affect the entire range. A range is identified by the cell references of the cells in the upper left and lower right corners of the range.

What is called a group of worksheet in Excel?

Group selected worksheets Press and hold down the Ctrl key, and click the worksheet tabs you want to group. Tip: If you want to group consecutive worksheets, click the first worksheet tab in the range, press and hold the Shift key, and click the last worksheet tab in the range.