WPS Track Referenced Cells helps you visualize formula source cells with tracer arrows; this guide covers 2 core tasks, with 2 available without membership and 0 membership-related items.
At a Glance
| Metric | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Core tasks | 2 | Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index |
| Available without membership | 2 | Matches the number of Free rows in the How-to Index |
| Membership-related items | 0 | Matches the number of membership-related rows in the How-to Index |
| Version limit | No specific version limit | No version threshold is stated for this feature |
About This Feature
Overview
Track Referenced Cells is a formula auditing feature in WPS Spreadsheets that shows which source cells are referenced by the currently selected formula cell. It helps you review data origins and understand reference paths more quickly.
Core capabilities include:
- Trace referenced cells with arrows so you can see where the current formula gets its values.
- Distinguish reference types: blue solid arrows indicate references within the current worksheet, while black dashed arrows indicate cross-worksheet references.
- Clear tracer marks by reference type or remove all arrows to restore a cleaner worksheet view.
This feature is useful when you need to review complex formulas, investigate reference issues, or understand calculations across multiple worksheets.
System Requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Operating system | A Windows device that can run WPS Office normally |
| App version | It is recommended to use the latest version of WPS Office |
| Network | No mandatory internet connection is required for local formula tracing |
| Other | Open a WPS spreadsheet file that contains formulas, and select a formula cell before tracing |
Download & Installation
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Official download | WPS Office Free Download |
| Check after installation | Open WPS Spreadsheets, go to the Formulas tab, and confirm that Track Referenced Cells and Remove Arrows options are available |
Source: WPS download page
Compare with Alternatives
| Dimension | WPS | Microsoft | Notion | Adobe | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capability Summary | WPS provides Track Referenced Cells on the Formulas tab to show source cells for the current formula with arrows, and supports repeated tracing plus arrow removal. | Excel provides Trace Precedents and Remove Precedent Arrows to display relationships between formulas and cells with tracer arrows. | Google Sheets officially explains how to reference cells from other sheets and other spreadsheets, but the referenced help page does not describe a visual tracer-arrow workflow for formula auditing. | Notion supports relations and rollups to connect database entries and aggregate related data, which is useful for linked databases rather than worksheet formula tracing. | Adobe Acrobat Sign supports calculated fields that update form values based on other field inputs, which fits form workflows rather than spreadsheet cell-reference tracing. |
| WPS Advantages | Advantage: built directly for spreadsheet formula auditing; Distinct: it visually separates same-sheet references and cross-worksheet references with different arrow styles. | Compared with WPS: Excel offers a closely related auditing workflow with tracer arrows, so the difference is mainly product environment rather than feature direction. | Compared with WPS: Google's official guidance focuses on reference syntax and cross-sheet formulas, not on arrow-based visual tracing for the active formula cell. | Compared with WPS: Notion is better suited to database relationships and rollups than to checking spreadsheet formula reference paths cell by cell. | Compared with WPS: Adobe focuses on calculated form fields during signing workflows, not spreadsheet-style precedent tracing. |
| Official Source | — | Display the relationships between formulas and cells | Reference data from other sheets | Relations & rollups | Add calculated fields to a form |
Overall Conclusion
If you want to inspect where a spreadsheet formula gets its values and clear tracer arrows when you are done, WPS offers a direct workflow for that task. Microsoft Excel supports a similar auditing approach, while Google, Notion, and Adobe officially describe adjacent capabilities centered on reference syntax, database relations, or form calculations.
Use Cases
| No. | Scenario | Suitable for | Main pain point | How this feature helps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Review formula sources | Finance staff and analysts | It is hard to find where a result comes from when a formula looks wrong | Use Track Referenced Cells to display source arrows |
| 2 | Check cross-worksheet references | Users maintaining multi-sheet reports | It is not clear whether a formula pulls data from another worksheet | Use black dashed arrows to identify cross-worksheet references |
| 3 | Understand multi-level calculations | Collaborators and users taking over existing files | Complex formula chains are difficult to read quickly | Click the tracing command again to reveal deeper reference levels |
| 4 | Clean up review marks | Everyday spreadsheet users | Too many arrows can make the worksheet hard to read | Use Remove Arrows to clear tracer marks as needed |
| 5 | Explain formula structure | Trainers and internal reviewers | It can be difficult to show others how a formula depends on source cells | Use arrows to present the reference path visually |
Membership & Benefits
Free vs WPS Premium
| Capability | Free | WPS Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Track Referenced Cells | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Basic spreadsheet editing | ✅ Available | ✅ Available |
| Advanced PDF tools and broader feature set | Some features are limited | More advanced capabilities are included |
| Cloud storage | 1 GB | 20 GB |
Source: WPS Office pricing page
Recommendations
| Scenario | Recommended plan | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Routine formula tracing and review | Free | Track Referenced Cells itself can be used without membership |
| Broader office work with more PDF tools, cloud storage, or extra features | WPS Premium | A better fit when you need expanded office capabilities beyond formula tracing |
How to Subscribe
- WPS membership center: Subscribe now
Source: WPS Office pricing page