What is a variable in a spreadsheet?

A variable in spreadsheet is a unit of storage that can change to any value or state at any time. The word variable can also be used to refer to the value itself.

There are different types of variables including numeric variables, memory addresses and character variables. To make referencing the variables easier, one should name the variables used in the calculation. Variables help make calculations in spreadsheet more flexible. Therefore, in spreadsheets, one can just change the value of variables and repeat the calculation. Without them, it would mean changing the whole calculation. It is also possible to use a range of cells as a variable. In such a case, they are operated upon as a single unit.