Percent change formula in Excel

The percentage change formula is very commonly used in Excel. For example, to calculate monthly or total change.

Monthly change

1. Select cell C3 and enter the formula shown below.
2. Select cell C3 and apply percentage format to it.
3. In order not to repeat the 1st and 2nd step ten more times, select the cell C3, click on its lower right corner and drag it down to the cell С13.
4. Check if everything went well.

General change

1. Similarly, we can calculate the total change. This time we fix the reference to the cell V2. Highlight a cell D3 and enter the formula shown below.
2. Select cell D3 and apply percentage format to it.
3. Highlight a cell D3, click on its lower right corner and drag it down to the cell D13.
4. Check if everything went well.

Explanation: When we drag (copy) the formula down, the absolute reference ($B$2) remains unchanged, but the relative reference (B3) changes – B4, B5, B6, etc. This example may be too complicated for you at this stage, but it shows some of the useful and powerful features that Excel has.