Precedents are the cells that are referenced by a formula in another cell. In Excel, you can use the Trace Precedents command to trace and highlight precedents in a worksheet. To do this, select the cell that contains the formula with the precedents you want to trace. Then, on the Formulas tab, in the Formula Auditing group, click Trace Precedents.
Dependents are the cells that reference a formula in another cell. In Excel, you can use the Trace Dependents command to trace and highlight dependents in a worksheet. To do this, select the cell that contains the formula with the dependents you want to trace. Then, on the Formulas tab, in the Formula Auditing group, click Trace Dependents.
You can also use the Watch Window feature in Excel to watch cells that contain formulas with precedents or dependents. To do this, select the cell that contains the formula with the precedents or dependents you want to watch. Then, on the Formulas tab, in the Formula Auditing group, click Watch Window.