What is circular reference for Microsoft Excel?
A formula cannot refer to the cell it is in. If it does, it is a circular reference. If you put =A4+5 into cell A4, then the formula is telling it to add 5 to the total in the cell. That will give a new total, which is then being asked to add 5 to itself, giving a new total, which is then being asked to add 5 to itself and that would go on forever. It is not possible to get an answer. It will go around forever, like a circle, hence the name. So a formula can not directly or indirectly refer to the cell it is in.
