highlighting cells in formula and linked to spreadsheet

This is not a function as much as it is formatting.

There is a method called Conditional Formatting. I would encourage you to lookup some videos that are related to this so that you get a full understanding of what you can do with it. The possibilities are pretty boundless, just takes creativity to get some things to do what you want - but for the specific identifiers you have called out from the video you have seen, those should be relatively simple for you to replicate yourself once you have read up on Conditional Formatting.

Once you have done this, then give it a shot... if you still cannot get it to work, bring us your sample file that you are trying to do it in so that we can help identify where you may be going wrong.

Good Luck!

- Eddie

I see -

So what you are observing is the native scripting outlining references with colors.

You are seeing Start_Task and End_Task and Start_Date... these are "Named Ranges" in whatever tutorial you are watching.

You can name a range multiple ways, but leave that aside for now.

If you were to just go enter this formula into a blank sheet...

Put it in CELL D2

=A1+B1+C1

Now when you enter the cell (Double click or hit F2 on the cell to edit the formula) you will see the referenced cells OUTLINE with different colors as well as the text within the formula. A1 will be the color of the outline that is on cell A1 and so will the other 2 references.

You can also click in the formula bar instead of the cell itself to see this color reference happen.

Its nothing you need to turn on, rather just observe when you are modifying a formula.

This happens live, pick any cell to start writing a formula in and go... as long as the text of the cell begins with = the rest will just happen