# Quick Excel Question - TAB and Calc
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question-tab-and-calc/423189
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 18, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question-tab-and-calc/423189 "2007-10-18T17:24:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Roboto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roboto)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2007, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question-tab-and-calc/423189/1 "2007-10-18T17:24:29Z")
Two simple issues are driving me crazy . . . I can’t figure them out:
1. For some reason, when I press “TAB” it moves to the first cell on the next page. I’d like for it to simply move to the next cell. I don’t know why that setting was changed, but I’d like to change it back.
2. I work with financial models that have circular references. I know how to manually change the options to allow iterations, but I constantly have to change that setting, where I’d like it to be the default. How do I do that?
Thank you!
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### Author:  [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)
#### Post date: [October 18, 2007, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question-tab-and-calc/423189/2 "2007-10-18T18:50:15Z")
[QUOTE=Roboto]
Two simple issues are driving me crazy . . . I can’t figure them out:
1. For some reason, when I press “TAB” it moves to the first cell on the next page. I’d like for it to simply move to the next cell. I don’t know why that setting was changed, but I’d like to change it back.
2. I work with financial models that have circular references. I know how to manually change the options to allow iterations, but I constantly have to change that setting, where I’d like it to be the default. How do I do that?
Thank you!
[/QUOTE]
1.
2. Not sure what you mean, can you describe where the data comes from and what you want to do with it? Do you want a cell to show default information unless another cell has additional/different information?
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### Author:  [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2007, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-excel-question-tab-and-calc/423189/3 "2007-10-19T00:38:02Z")
Excel help says:
> [@](#):
>
> When you press TAB or SHIFT+TAB, Excel moves the cursor to the adjacent cell on the right or the left.
> Notes
>
> For the TAB key, you cannot change the direction in which you want the cursor to move.
> When a range or set of ranges is selected, pressing TAB or SHIFT+TAB moves the cursor within the range or set of ranges only.
> If you use the TAB key to move the cursor to the right and the ENTER key to move the cursor one cell down, the cursor will move below the first cell in the current row that contains text.
There is no mention of an option. Does your tab key work normally in all other applications?
Also:
> [@](#):
>
> Make a circular reference work by changing the number of times Microsoft Excel iterates formulas
>
> On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Calculation tab.
> Select the Iteration check box.
> To set the maximum number of times Microsoft Excel will recalculate, type the number of iterations in the Maximum iterations box. The higher the number of iterations, the more time Excel needs to calculate a worksheet.
> To set the maximum amount of change you will accept between calculation results, type the amount in the Maximum change box. The smaller the number, the more accurate the result and the more time Excel needs to calculate a worksheet.
Are you saying that you have to set this every time you open Excel again? If so, I’m not sure how to make it stick.