Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Howard W Cherry, Iv

Juha P Niemisto

Darrin N Hatakeda

Russell S Johnson

John P O'Neill

Manipulating an object that is dependent upon one or more cells in a spreadsheet is facilitated by manipulating indicators that bound the relevant cells. The object can be a spreadsheet cell formula that contains a reference to one or more cells. The object can also be a graph object that is dependent upon one or more cells. In response to the selection of one of the objects, an indicator is displayed proximate to the cell or cells that the object is dependent upon. If the selected object is dependent upon multiple ranges of cells, then multiple indicators are displayed. Each indicator is displayed proximate to a cell or range of cells for the purpose of highlighting or identifying that the object is dependent upon that cell or range of cells. The highlighting or identifying is acceptably achieved with on-screen indicators that are color-coded. Each indicator can border a cell or a range of cells that the object is dependent upon. Each indicator can be moved, expanded or contracted so that it includes a different cell or range of cells. The selected object is updated to be dependent upon the cells currently identified by the associated indicator or indicators.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Howard W Cherry, Iv