I'd use a macro:

Option Explicit
Sub testme()
Dim myCell As Range
Dim myRng As Range

Set myRng = Nothing
On Error Resume Next
Set myRng = Intersect(Selection, _
Selection.Cells.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeConstants, xlTextValues))
On Error GoTo 0

If myRng Is Nothing Then
MsgBox "No text constants in this range"
Exit Sub
End If

For Each myCell In myRng.Cells
With myCell
If .Len(.Value) 0 Then
.NumberFormat = "General" 'or what you want
.Formula = "=" & .Value
End If
End With
Next myCell

End Sub

If you're new to macros:

Debra Dalgleish has some notes how to implement macros he
http://www.contextures.com/xlvba01.html

David McRitchie has an intro to macros:
http://www.mvps.org/dmcritchie/excel/getstarted.htm

Ron de Bruin's intro to macros:
http://www.rondebruin.nl/code.htm

(General, Regular and Standard modules all describe the same thing.)

willemeulen wrote:

I have a bunch of cells which contain a reference but are missing the = sign
how can I add the = sign to complete reference in one go instead of one by one

--

Dave Peterson