Table of Contents

Excel Formulas and Functions Basics

What is an Excel Formula?

How to Create a Basic Excel Formula

Using Different Methods to Enter Excel Formulas

What is an Excel Function?

Excel Operators

How to Copy Formulas to Other Cells

Relative and Absolute Cell References

Named Ranges

Lookup Functions

VLOOKUP Function

HLOOKUP Function

XLOOKUP Function

INDEX Function

MATCH Function

INDEX-MATCH Functions

XMATCH Function

LOOKUP Function
Logical Functions

IF Function

AND Function

OR Function

IFS Function

IFERROR Function

Text Functions

LEFT Function

RIGHT Function

MID Function

LEN Function

CONCAT Function

TEXTJOIN Function

TRIM Function

LOWER Function

UPPER Function

PROPER Function

SUBSTITUTE Function

FIND Function

SEARCH Function
REPT Function

EXACT Function

Date and Time Functions

DATE Function

DAY Function

DAYS Function

DAYS360 Function

MONTH Function

YEAR Function

DATEVALUE Function

DATEDIF Function

EDATE Function

NETWORKDAYS Function

EOMONTH Function

TIME Function

TIMEVALUE Function

HOUR Function

MINUTE Function

SECOND Function

WEEKNUM Function
WEEKDAY Function

NOW Function

TODAY Function

Maths Functions

ROUND Function

ROUNDUP Function

ROUNDDOWN Function

SUM Function

SUMIF Function

SUMIFS Function

SUMPRODUCT Function

ABS Function

EVEN Function

MOD Function

RAND Function

RANDBETWEEN Function

Statistical Functions

AVERAGE Function

AVERAGEIF Function

AVERAGEIFS Function
COUNT Function

COUNTA Function

COUNTBLANK Function

COUNTIF Function

COUNTIFS Function

LARGE Function

SMALL Function

MAX Function

MAXA Function

MAXIFS Function

MIN Function

MINIFS Function

MEDIAN Function

FREQUENCY Function

Information Functions

ISBLANK Function

ISERROR Function

ISFORMULA Function

ISNUMBER Function

ISEVEN Function
ISODD Function

ISTEXT Function

ISNONTEXT Function

CELL Function

INFO Function

ERROR.TYPE Function

Excel Formulas and Functions Tips and Tricks

Using the F9 Key to Evaluate a Formula

Show all Cells That Contains a Formula

How to Convert Formulas to Values

Hiding Formulas in a Worksheet

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 Introduction
Welcome to my Excel Formulas and Functions book!

Microsoft Excel is one of the most widely used software programs in

the world, and for good reason. Excel offers a powerful and versatile
set of tools for organising and analysing data, creating charts and
graphs, and performing complex calculations with ease.

At the heart of Excel's capabilities are its formulas and functions,

which allow you to automate calculations, manipulate data, and
perform advanced analysis. With the right knowledge of Excel's
formulas and functions, you can save time, increase productivity, and
make more informed decisions based on the data you collect.

This book is designed to provide a comprehensive guide to Excel's

formulas and functions, from basic arithmetic operations to complex
statistical analysis. Whether you're a beginner or an advanced user of
Excel, this book will help you to enhance your skills and unlock the
full potential of this powerful software program.

How will this Book Benefit You?

This Excel Formulas and Functions book is designed to help you
develop a deep understanding of Excel's powerful tools for
organising and analysing data. By providing a comprehensive guide
to Excel's formulas and functions, this book will help you to:

Save Time: By automating complex calculations and data

manipulation tasks, you will be able to perform
calculations faster and more efficiently, saving time and
increasing productivity.

Increase Productivity: By learning how to use Excel's

formulas and functions effectively, you will be able to
 work more efficiently and produce more accurate and
reliable results.

Analyse Data Effectively: Excel's formulas and

functions can be used to perform complex statistical
analysis and data modelling tasks, allowing you to extract
valuable insights from your data.

Make Informed Decisions: By using Excel's formulas

and functions to perform advanced analysis, you will be
able to make more informed decisions based on your data.

Enhance Career Prospects: Proficiency in Excel's

formulas and functions is a highly sought-after skill in
many industries, and this book will help you to develop
the skills and knowledge needed to excel in your career.

Who is this Book Aimed At?

This Excel Formulas and Functions book is aimed at a wide range of
readers, from beginners who are just starting to learn Excel to more
advanced users who are looking to enhance their skills and
knowledge of Excel's formulas and functions.

Specifically, this book is ideal for:

Students: This book is perfect for students who are

learning Excel as part of their coursework or who want to
develop their Excel skills for future career opportunities.

Business Professionals: Excel is an essential tool for

many business professionals, and this book will help
readers to master the skills needed to work efficiently and
effectively with data.

Data Analysts: Data Analysts use Excel to perform a

wide range of tasks, from data cleaning and manipulation
 to statistical analysis and modelling. This book will
provide valuable insights into Excel's formulas and
functions that can help Data Analysts to perform their
tasks more effectively.

Financial Analysts: Financial Analysts use Excel

extensively to analyse financial data, create financial
models, and perform financial forecasting. This book will
provide valuable insights into Excel's financial formulas
and functions that can help Financial Analysts to perform
their tasks more effectively.

Researchers: Researchers use Excel to organise and

analyse data in many different fields, including science,
engineering, and social sciences. This book will provide
valuable insights into Excel's formulas and functions that
can help researchers to analyse their data more effectively.

Version
This Excel Formulas and Functions book uses the latest version of
Excel, ensuring that readers have access to all the latest tools and
features that Excel has to offer. The book has been written using
Excel 365, which is the most recent version of Excel at the time of
writing. This means that readers will be able to follow the examples
and tutorials in the book using the most up-to-date version of Excel,
ensuring that they can take full advantage of all the latest features
and capabilities of the software. Whether readers are new to Excel or
experienced users, this book will help them to stay up-to-date with
the latest tools and techniques for working with data in Excel.

Two Free Downloadable Excel

Workbooks
This book includes two free workbooks; one workbook that includes
all the data and the formulas used in the book, and another
workbook that contains only the data. This is a great tool for
practicing and experimenting with the formulas and functions taught
in the book. With this resource, learners can get hands-on experience
and build their Excel skills by working through the different
exercises and problems included in the book. With these two free
workbooks, learners can build their proficiency in Excel and take
their skills to the next level. You can download the two Excel
workbooks by clicking the link below:

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Contact me on my Website
I have a website dedicated to Excel which is
www.excelmasterconsultant.com where readers can find more
resources and information to enhance their Excel skills. My website
is a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their Excel
skills, from beginners to advanced users. It offers a variety of Excel
tutorials, tips, and tricks, as well as online courses to help readers get
started with their projects. Additionally, readers can contact me
through the website to ask questions or provide feedback on the book
or the website. I look forward to hearing from readers and helping
them to excel in their use of Excel!

The website again is:

www.excelmasterconsultant.com

Now, if you're ready to take your Excel skills to the next level and
become a master of spreadsheet calculations, then let's dive in!
 Excel Formulas and
Functions Basics
Before we learn about all the different Excel functions that are
available and how to create formulas in your worksheets, you first
need to understand the basics. In this section, you will learn all the
fundamentals of Excel formulas and functions.

What is an Excel Formula?

An Excel formula is a set of instructions that you enter into a cell in
an Excel spreadsheet to perform a specific calculation or to
manipulate data in a certain way. Excel formulas always start with an
equal sign (=) and can be entered directly into a cell or using the
formula bar. Excel formulas can include mathematical operators, cell
references, functions, and other elements that allow you to perform
calculations, manipulate data, or create conditional statements based
on specific criteria. Excel provides a wide range of built-in functions
that you can use to simplify complex calculations and manipulate
data in various ways. Examples of Excel formulas include SUM,
AVERAGE, IF, VLOOKUP, COUNTIF, and many more. You will
learn about these and more later in this book.

How to Create a Basic Excel Formula

To create a basic Excel formula, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Microsoft Excel and create a new spreadsheet.

Step 2: Enter the data you want to use in your formula. For
example, let's say you want to add together the values in cells A1 and
B1. Enter the values in those cells as shown above.

Step 3: Select the cell where you want to display the result of your
formula. For example, if you want to display the result in cell C1,
select that cell.

Step 4: Begin your formula by typing an equal sign (=) in the

selected cell.

Step 5: Type or select the cell reference for the first cell you want to
add. For example, to add the value in cell A1, type or select cell A1.
Step 6: Type a plus sign (+) to indicate that you want to add another
cell.

Step 7: Type or select the cell reference for the second cell you want
to add. For example, to add the value in cell B1, type or select cell B1.

Step 8: Press Enter to complete the formula.

The result of your formula will now be displayed in the selected cell.
The formula "=A1+B1" will display the result 15 in cell C1.

Congratulations, you've created a basic Excel formula that adds cell

references together and displays the result. After you have read this
book, you will be able to create more complex formulas using a
variety of arithmetic operators and functions to perform calculations
on your data.
Using Different Methods to Enter Excel
Formulas
There are several ways to enter a formula in Excel, including:

1. Typing the Formula Directly into the Cell

This involves typing the formula directly into the cell preceded by an
equals sign (=). For example, to add the numbers in cells A1 and B1,
you would type "=A1+B1" into the cell where you want the result to
appear.

2. Using the Formula Bar

The formula bar is located at the top of the Excel window and
displays the contents of the active cell. To enter a formula using the
formula bar, click on the cell where you want the result to appear,
type the formula into the formula bar, and press Enter. For example,
you could click on cell C1, type "=A1+B1" into the formula bar, and
press Enter.

3. Using the Insert Function Dialog Box

This method involves using the Insert Function dialog box to select
the function you want to use and then entering the arguments for the
function. To use this method, click on the cell where you want the
result to appear, let’s say cell C1.

Click on the "Insert Function" button which is to the left of the

formula bar as shown above.
Select the function you want to use. In this example, I want to use the
SUM function so I select this and then click on the OK button.

Follow the prompts to enter the arguments. For example, if you want
to sum cells A1 and B1, then select this range in the Number1
argument field and then press the OK button. The result will be
displayed in the selected cell.

4. Copying and Pasting a Formula

If you have already entered a formula in one cell and want to use it in
another cell, you can copy and paste the formula. To do this, select
the cell containing the formula and then press Ctrl+C to copy it.
Next, select the cell where you want the formula to appear, and then
press Ctrl+V to paste it.

What is an Excel Function?

An Excel function is a predefined formula or operation that performs
a specific task in Microsoft Excel. It is a built-in feature of Excel that
simplifies complex calculations and saves time for users. Excel
functions can be used to perform arithmetic operations, manipulate
text, extract data, perform statistical analysis, and much more.

Excel functions can be found in the Formula tab under the Function
Library group in the Ribbon, and they can also be typed directly into
a cell. Some examples of commonly used Excel functions include
SUM, AVERAGE, IF, VLOOKUP, and COUNT. Each function has its
own syntax and set of arguments, which must be entered correctly
for the function to work properly. Later in this book, you will learn
about all the best and most commonly used Excel functions and how
to apply them to your worksheets.

Excel Operators
In Excel, operators are symbols or characters that are used to
perform mathematical, logical or reference operations on values or
cell references within a formula. Here are some common examples of
operators in Excel and their meanings:

1. Arithmetic Operators:
 Addition (+): adds two or more values.
Subtraction (-): subtracts one value from another.
Multiplication (*): multiplies two or more values.
Division (/): divides one value by another.
Exponentiation (^): raises a value to a power.

2. Comparison Operators:
Equal to (=): tests if two values are equal.
Not equal to (<>): tests if two values are not equal.
Greater than (>): tests if one value is greater than another.
Less than (<): tests if one value is less than another.
Greater than or equal to (>=): tests if one value is greater
than or equal to another.
Less than or equal to (<=): tests if one value is less than or
equal to another.

3. Logical Operators:
AND: returns TRUE if all the conditions are TRUE.
OR: returns TRUE if any of the conditions are TRUE.
NOT: returns the opposite of a logical value.

4. Reference Operators:
Range operator (:): creates a range of cells between two
cell references.
Intersection operator (space): returns the intersection of
two ranges.

Example:
Suppose you want to test if the value in cell A1 is less than the value
in cell B1. To do this, you would use the less than operator “<” in the
formula “=A1<B1”. The formula will return either TRUE if the value
in cell A1 is less than B1 or FALSE if the value in cell A1 is larger than
the value in cell B1.

Here is another example. Suppose you want to calculate the average

of the values in cells A1 to A5. You can use the AVERAGE function
with the range operator as follows: “=AVERAGE(A1:A5)”. This
formula uses the arithmetic operator (:) to create a range of cells
from A1 to A5. The AVERAGE function will then calculate the
average of the values in that range.

How to Copy Formulas to Other Cells

There are several ways to copy and paste Excel formulas in a
worksheet. Here are some of the most common methods:

1. Using the Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V Keyboard

Shortcuts
1. Select the cell with the formula you want to copy.
2. Press "Ctrl + C" to copy the formula.
3. Select the cell(s) where you want to paste the formula.
4. Press "Ctrl + V" to paste the formula.

2. Using the Fill Handle to Copy a Formula to

Adjacent Cells
1. Select the cell with the formula you want to copy.
2. Move the mouse pointer to the bottom-right corner of the
selected cell until it turns into a small black cross.
3. Click and drag the fill handle over the cells where you
want to copy the formula.

3. Using the Copy and Paste Commands

1. Select the cell with the formula you want to copy.
 2. Click the "Copy" button in the "Clipboard" group of the
"Home" tab on the ribbon or press "Ctrl + C".
3. Select the cell(s) where you want to paste the formula.
4. Click the "Paste" button in the "Clipboard" group of the
"Home" tab on the ribbon or press "Ctrl + V".

4. Using the Paste Special Command to Copy

Formulas with Different Formatting or Values
1. Select the cell with the formula you want to copy.
2. Click the "Copy" button in the "Clipboard" group of the
"Home" tab on the ribbon or press "Ctrl + C".
3. Select the cell(s) where you want to paste the formula.
4. Click the "Paste Special" button in the "Clipboard" group
of the "Home" tab on the ribbon.
5. Choose "Formulas" from the list of options.

5. Using the Ctrl+D and Ctrl+R commands

1. Select the cell containing the formula you want to copy.
2. Select the cells where you want to copy the formula down
including the cell that contains the formula.
3. Press Ctrl+D to copy the formula down or Ctrl+R to copy
it across.

Relative and Absolute Cell References

In Excel, a cell reference is a specific identifier used to locate and
retrieve data from a particular cell or range of cells within a
spreadsheet. Cell references are used in formulas and functions to
perform calculations, comparisons, and other operations. A cell
reference consists of both a column reference and a row reference,
which are used to identify the location of a cell in a worksheet.

The column reference in a cell reference is identified by a letter that

corresponds to the column heading at the top of the worksheet.
Columns in Excel are labelled with letters starting from A and
continuing to Z, and then starting again with AA, AB, AC, and so on.
Each column in Excel has a unique letter that identifies it. The row
reference in a cell reference is identified by a number that
corresponds to the row heading on the left side of the worksheet.
Rows in Excel are numbered starting from 1 and continuing to
1,048,576. Each row in Excel has a unique number that identifies it.

To create a cell reference in Excel, you need to specify both the

column and row references. For example, the cell reference for the
cell in column B and row 3 would be B3. Similarly, the cell reference
for the cell in column C and row 5 would be C5. You can use cell
references in formulas to perform calculations on the data in
different cells.

There are three types of cell references in Excel: relative, absolute

and mixed.

Relative Cell Reference

Relative cell references are references that change when you copy or
move a formula from one cell to another. In other words, when you
use a relative cell reference in a formula, it refers to a cell relative to
the location of the formula.

Let's say we want to add up the values in the first row in columns A
to C. We can use the SUM function in cell D1 with a relative cell
reference like this “=SUM(A1:C1)”.
When we copy this formula to the next row, the cell reference adjusts
accordingly, so the formula in cell D2 would become
“=SUM(A2:C2)”.

Absolute Cell Reference

Absolute cell references, on the other hand, remain fixed and do not
change when you copy or move a formula. When you use an absolute
cell reference in a formula, it always refers to the same cell,
regardless of the location of the formula. An absolute reference is
indicated by placing a dollar sign ($) before the column letter and
row number of the cell reference.

Suppose we have the total of the values in the first column in cell A4
which is 120, and we want to divide each cell value in that column by
the total and enter the results in column D.
We can use an absolute cell reference for the total value like this
=$A$4. The formula in cell D1 would be “=A1/$A$4”.

When we copy this formula to the next row, the cell reference to the
total remains the same, so the formula in cell D2 would be
“=A2/$A$4”. When the cell reference is copied to the third row in
cell D3, the formula would be “=A3/$A$4”.

Mixed Cell Reference

A mixed reference combines both relative and absolute references,
and it allows you to create formulas that can be copied to different
cells without having to manually adjust the references.

A mixed cell reference can be created by using the dollar sign ($) to
fix either the column or row in a reference while allowing the other
part to change. For example, if you want to fix the column reference
but allow the row reference to change, you would use a mixed
reference like this: $A1. This means that the column reference will
always refer to column A, but the row reference will change when the
formula is copied to other cells.

Similarly, if you want to fix the row reference but allow the column
reference to change, you would use a mixed reference like this: A$1.
This means that the row reference will always refer to row 1, but the
column reference will change when the formula is copied to other
cells.

Named Ranges
In Excel, a named range is a defined name given to a specific cell or
range of cells. Named ranges are important because they make it
easier to refer to a specific cell or range of cells in your formulas.

Instead of referring to cells by their coordinates (e.g., A1:B10), you

can give the range a name (e.g., SalesData) and then refer to it in
your formulas using the name (e.g., =SUM(SalesData)). This makes
your formulas easier to read and understand, especially when
working with large and complex spreadsheets.

Named ranges also make it easier to update your formulas if the

range of cells changes. For example, if you have a formula that uses
the range A1:B10 and you later insert a row at the top of the
spreadsheet, you would need to update the formula to use the range
A2:B11. However, if you had given the range a name (e.g., SalesData),
you would not need to update the formula - Excel would
automatically adjust the range to include the new row.

How to Create a Named Range

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to create a named range in
Excel:
Step 1: Select the cells you want to name. These cells can be in a
single column, row, or multiple columns and rows.

Step 2: Click on the Formulas tab on the ribbon at the top of the
Excel window.

Step 3: Click on the Define Name button in the Defined Names

group. This will open the New Name dialog box.

Step 4: In the Name field, type a name for the range. Make sure to
use a name that is descriptive and easy to remember.

Step 5: In the Scope field, select the option that determines the
range's visibility. Workbook will make the range visible throughout
the entire workbook, while Sheet will make it visible only within the
current worksheet.

Step 6: In the Refers to field, you can either enter the cell or cell
range you want to name or use the mouse to select the cells by
clicking and dragging over them.

Step 7: Click the OK button to create the named range.

The Rules of Creating a Named Range

When creating named ranges in Excel, there are several rules that
you need to follow:

The name must begin with a letter or underscore

character. It cannot begin with a number or any special
characters.

The name can contain letters, numbers, and underscore

characters only. No other special characters, such as
spaces or periods, are allowed.
 The name cannot be the same as a cell reference. For
example, you cannot name a range “A1” because it is a cell
reference in Excel.

The name must be unique within the workbook. You

cannot have two named ranges with the same name in the
same workbook.

The name cannot be a reserved word in Excel. For

example, you cannot name a range "IF" or "SUM" because
these are reserved words used by Excel's functions and
formulas.

The name should be descriptive and easy to remember.

This will make it easier for you to use the named range in
your formulas and functions.

Excel Shortcuts for Named Ranges

In Excel, there are several shortcuts you can use to create and
manage named ranges:

To create a named range quickly, select the cell or range of

cells you want to name, and then press Ctrl + Shift + F3.
This will open the Create Names from Selection
dialog box, where you can specify the name you want to
use for the range.

To edit an existing named range, press Ctrl + F3. This

will open the Name Manager dialog box, where you can
select the named range you want to edit and make changes
to its definition.

To use a named range in a formula or function, type the

name of the range directly into the formula or function.
Excel will automatically recognise the name and use the
range in the calculation.
 To navigate to a named range quickly, press F5 to open
the Go To dialog box. Then, select the named range from
the Named Range dropdown list and click OK. Excel
will take you directly to the named range.

To delete a named range, press Ctrl + F3 to open the

Name Manager dialog box. Then, select the named
range you want to delete and click the Delete button.

Now that you know the fundamentals of Excel formulas and

functions, let’s start to create some formulas of our own using the
many functions Excel has available.
 Lookup Functions
In Excel, lookup functions are formulas that allow you to search for a
specific value in a table or range of cells and return a related value
based on the location of that value. There are several lookup
functions available in Excel which we will explore in this chapter.
Lookup functions are very useful in Excel when you need to quickly
find and retrieve data from a large table or dataset. They can also be
used to create dynamic formulas that automatically update as the
data in your spreadsheet changes.

VLOOKUP Function
What is it?
VLOOKUP is a function in Microsoft Excel that allows you to search
for a specific value in a table or range of cells, and return a
corresponding value from a different column in that same table. It is
one of the most commonly used functions in Excel for data analysis
and lookup tasks. The V stands for Vertical.

Syntax
=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, column_index_num,
[range_lookup])

Arguments
lookup_value (required): This is the value that you want
to look up in the first column of the table or range of cells.

table_array (required): This is the range of cells that

contains the data you want to search. The first column of
the range should contain the lookup value, and the data
you want to return should be to the right of the lookup
 column. The table can be a range of cells, a named range,
or a table reference.

col_index_num (required): This is the column number

(starting from 1) in the table or range of cells that contains
the data you want to return.

range_lookup (optional): This argument can be either

TRUE or FALSE. If TRUE or omitted, it means the
function will search for an approximate match of the
lookup value. If FALSE, it means the function will search
for an exact match of the lookup value.

Example:
Let's say you have a table of sales data that looks like this:

You want to find out how much money was made from selling
bananas. You can use VLOOKUP to do this. Below are step-by-step
instructions on how to do this:

Step 1: Select a cell where you want to display the result of the
VLOOKUP formula. In this example, I select cell F3.
Step 2: Type the VLOOKUP formula
“=VLOOKUP(E3,B2:C6,2,FALSE)” in the selected cell.

Here is a breakdown of how the formula works:

The lookup value is “Bananas” in cell E3. This is the value

that we want to find in the first column of the table array.

The table array is B2:C6, which contains the lookup value

in the first column and the sales data in the second
column.

The column index number is 2. This is the column number

(starting from 1) in the table array that contains the data
we want to return. Since the sales data is in the second
column of the table array, we specify 2 for the column
index number.

The range lookup is FALSE. This argument specifies

whether we want an exact match or an approximate
match. In this case, we want an exact match, so we set the
range lookup to FALSE.

The VLOOKUP formula then searches for "Bananas" in

the first column of the table array and returns the
corresponding value from the second column.
Step 3: Press Enter to execute the formula. The result of this
formula would be $75, since "Bananas" is found in the second row of
the table array, so the formula returns the value from the second
column of that row.

Note: If the lookup value is not found in the leftmost column of the
table, VLOOKUP will return an #N/A error.

To Summarise
VLOOKUP is a very useful function in Microsoft Excel that allows
you to search for a specific value in a table or range of cells, and
return a corresponding value from a different column in that same
table. By using the VLOOKUP formula, you can quickly and easily
retrieve data from large tables, without having to manually search for
the data yourself. The syntax of the VLOOKUP formula consists of
four main arguments, including the lookup value, table_array,
col_index_num, and range_lookup, which all work together to help
you find the data you need. With its powerful capabilities and ease of
use, VLOOKUP is a valuable tool for anyone who needs to analyse or
work with data in Excel.

HLOOKUP Function

What is it?
HLOOKUP is a function in Microsoft Excel that is used to search for
a specific value in the top row of a table, and then return the value
from a cell in the same column from a row specified by the user. The
H stands for Horizontal.

Syntax
=HLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, row_index_num,
[range_lookup])
Arguments
lookup_value (required): This is the value that you want
to search for in the top row of the table. It can be a value, a
reference to a cell, or a text string enclosed in double
quotation marks.

table_array (required): This is the range of cells that

makes up the table. It must include the top row that
contains the lookup value, as well as the row that contains
the result that you want to return. The table can be a range
of cells, a named range, or a table reference.

row_index_num (required): This is the row number

within the table array from which to return a value.

range_lookup (optional): This is an optional argument

that specifies whether to perform an approximate match
or an exact match. If this argument is omitted or set to
TRUE, an approximate match is performed, and the
function returns the nearest match to the lookup value
that is less than or equal to it. If this argument is set to
FALSE, an exact match is performed, and the function
returns the value from the exact cell that matches the
lookup value.

Example:
Below we have a table of grades for three students.
We want to return the grade for student A for Math. Below are step-
by-step instructions on how to do this using the HLOOKUP function:

Step 1: Select a cell where you want to display the result of the
HLOOKUP formula. In this example, I select cell I2.

Step 2: Type the HLOOKUP formula

“=HLOOKUP(H2,C2:F5,2,FALSE)” in the selected cell. This
formula searches for the value "Math" in row 1 of the table C2:F5 and
returns the value from the second row (which is the grade for Math
for student A in this case).

Let's break down this formula:

The first argument, "Math" in cell H2, is the value that we

are searching for in the first row of the range C2:F5.

The second argument, C2:F5, is the range of cells that we

want to search in.

The third argument, 2, specifies that we want to return the

value from the second row of the range. This means that
when "Math" is found in the first row, the function will
return the corresponding value from row 2.

The fourth argument, FALSE, tells the function to only

return an exact match for the search value. This means
 that if "Math" is not found in the first row of the range, the
function will return an #N/A error value.

Step 3: Press Enter to execute the formula. The result should be the
value 75%, which is the grade for Math in row 2 of the table.

You can now use this same formula with different search values to
retrieve grades for other subjects from the same table.

To Summarise
The HLOOKUP function in Excel is a powerful tool that allows you to
search for a value in the top row of a table or range, and then return a
corresponding value from a specified row within that range. By
following the steps outlined above, you can easily use the HLOOKUP
function in your own Excel spreadsheets to retrieve specific data
based on search criteria. Whether you're working with grades, sales
data, or any other type of data that is organised in rows and columns,
the HLOOKUP function can help you quickly and efficiently find the
information you need.

XLOOKUP Function

What is it?
XLOOKUP is a powerful function in Microsoft Excel that allows you
to search for a value in a table or array and return a corresponding
value in the same row, column or intersecting cell. It is a new and
improved version of the VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP functions, which
can be used in more flexible ways and has several additional features.

Syntax
=XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array,
[if_not_found], [match_mode], [search_mode])
Arguments
lookup_value (required): The value or cell reference you
want to search for in the lookup_array. This argument can
be a value, a cell reference, or a formula that returns a
value or reference.

lookup_array (required): The array or range of cells

where you want to search for the lookup_value. This
argument can be a range of cells or an array constant,
which is a set of values enclosed in curly braces.

return_array (required): The array or range of cells

containing the values you want to return. This argument
can be a range of cells or an array constant.

if_not_found (optional): The value or action to take if

the lookup_value is not found in the lookup_array. This
argument can be a value, a cell reference, or a formula that
returns a value or reference. By default, if_not_found is
set to #N/A, which returns the #N/A error message if the
lookup_value is not found.

match_mode (optional): A number that specifies the

type of match to be performed. This argument can be set
to 0, 1, or -1. If match_mode is omitted, XLOOKUP will
assume an exact match (0). Here are what the numbers
mean:

0 (default): Exact match.

1: Exact match or next smaller item (when

lookup_value is larger than any value in the
lookup_array).

-1: Exact match or next larger item (when

lookup_value is smaller than any value in the
lookup_array).
 search_mode (optional): A number that specifies the
type of search to be performed. This argument can be set
to 1 or 2. If search_mode is omitted, XLOOKUP will
assume a search from top to bottom, then left to right (1).
Here are what the numbers mean:

1 (default): Search from top to bottom, then left to

right.

2: Search from bottom to top, then right to left.

Example:
Let's say you have a table with employee information, and you want
to find an employee's salary based on their ID number. Here's what
the data might look like:

Suppose you want to look up the salary for ID 101. Below are the
steps to achieve this using the XLOOKUP function:

Step 1: Select a cell where you want to display the result of the
XLOOKUP formula. In this example, I select cell H3.
Step 2: Type the XLOOKUP formula “=XLOOKUP(G3,B2:B6,
E2:E6)” in the selected cell.

Here's how the XLOOKUP formula works:

The first argument cell G3 is the lookup value “101”, which

is the value we want to find in the lookup array.

The second argument B2:B6 is the lookup array, which is

the range of cells that contains the lookup value. In this
case, it's the ID column of the employee table.

The third argument E2:E6 is the return array, which is the

range of cells containing the values we want to return. In
this case, it's the Salary column of the employee table.

When Excel executes the formula, it searches for the

lookup value “101” in the lookup array B2:B6.

If it finds an exact match, it returns the corresponding

value from the return array E2:E6. In this case, it finds an
exact match for “101” in cell B3, and returns the
corresponding salary value $60,000 from cell E3.

If it doesn't find an exact match, it returns an error.

However, you can use the optional [match_mode]
argument to specify whether to return the closest match or
an exact match, and the optional [search_mode]
 argument to specify whether to search from the beginning
or end of the lookup array.

Step 3: Press Enter to execute the formula. Excel will search for the
value “101” in the ID column of the employee table and return the
corresponding value from the Salary column, which is $60,000.

You can find the salaries of other employees by changing the lookup
value in the XLOOKUP formula to the desired ID number.

Note: This is just one example of how to use XLOOKUP and

provides a taster of what it does. I have written a whole book on just
the XLOOKUP function alone called Excel Formulas and
Functions: The Step by Step Excel Book for Beginners on
how to Master Lookup Formulas using the XLOOKUP
Function as it is a very powerful and useful function to learn.

This book is available on Amazon now. For more information or to

purchase it, click either of the below links:

Amazon UK: www.amazon.co.uk/Excel-Formulas-Functions-

Beginners-Function/dp/B08F8193G6

Amazon US: www.amazon.com/Excel-Formulas-Functions-

Beginners-Function/dp/B08F8193G6

To Summarise
XLOOKUP is a powerful function in Microsoft Excel that allows you
to search for a specific value in a table or range and return a
corresponding value from another column in the same table or
range. It's a very useful tool for tasks such as finding salaries or other
relevant information for a particular employee based on their ID. By
using the XLOOKUP formula and specifying the lookup value,
lookup array, and return array, you can quickly and easily retrieve
the data you need. With its flexibility and ease of use, XLOOKUP is a
valuable tool for anyone who works with data in Excel.

INDEX Function

What is it?
The INDEX function in Excel is a built-in function that returns the
value of a cell within a specified range, based on the row and column
numbers provided as arguments. It is commonly used to extract a
specific value or a range of values from a larger table or array.

Syntax
=INDEX(array, row_num, [column_num])

Arguments
array (required): This is the range or array of cells from
which you want to extract the value. The array can be a
single row or column, a range of cells, or an entire table.

row_num (required): This argument specifies the row

number of the cell you want to extract. It must be a
positive integer that corresponds to the row number
within the specified range or array.

column_num: (optional) This argument specifies the

column number of the cell you want to extract. It must be
a positive integer that corresponds to the column number
within the specified range or array.

Example:
Suppose you have a table of sales data for different products, and you
want to retrieve the sales data for a particular product in a specific
month. Here's the sample data:
To retrieve the sales data for Product B in February, you can use the
INDEX function by specifying row and column numbers. Below are
the steps to do this:

Step 1: First, select a cell where you want to display the result. In
this example I select cell H3.

Step 2: Next, enter the following formula into cell H3

“=INDEX(C3:F5,2,2)”.

Let's break down this formula:

The first argument is the range of cells that contains the

data you want to retrieve. In this case, it's the range C3:F5.
 The second argument is the row number of the cell you
want to retrieve within the range. In this example, it's 2,
because we want to retrieve the sales data for Product B
which is in row 2 of the range C3:F5.

The third argument is the column number of the cell you

want to retrieve within the range. In this example, it's also
2, because we want to retrieve the sales data for February
which is in column 2 of the range C3:F5.

Step 3: Press Enter to complete the formula. Excel should display

the value 75 in cell H3, which is the sales data for Product B in
February.

To Summarise
The INDEX function in Excel is a powerful tool for retrieving specific
data from a table or range of cells. By specifying the row and column
numbers of the cell you want to retrieve, you can quickly and easily
extract information from large datasets. The example provided
demonstrates how the INDEX function can be used to retrieve sales
data for a particular product in a specific month. By following the
step-by-step instructions above and understanding the arguments of
the function, you can apply this tool to your own data analysis needs.
The INDEX function is just one of many functions in Excel that can
help streamline data analysis and make working with large datasets
more efficient.

MATCH Function

What is it?
The MATCH function is a built-in function in Excel that returns the
relative position of a specified value within a range of cells. The
function can be used to search for a value within a row or column
and return its position or index number.
Syntax
=MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_type])

Arguments
lookup_value (required): This is the value that you want
to search for in the lookup_array. It can be a number, text,
or logical value.

lookup_array (required): This is the range of cells that

you want to search in. It can be a single row or column or
a range of cells. The lookup_array must be sorted in
ascending order for the MATCH function to work
correctly.

match_type (optional): This is an optional argument

that specifies how the MATCH function should perform
the search. It can take one of three values:

1 (or omitted): The function searches for the closest

match that is less than or equal to the lookup_value.
This is the default value if the match_type argument
is omitted.

0: The function searches for an exact match of the

lookup_value within the lookup_array.

-1: The function searches for the closest match that

is greater than or equal to the lookup_value.

Example:
Suppose you have a list of names in column B and their
corresponding ages in column C, and you want to find the position of
a specific name in the list. Below is what the data looks like:
To retrieve the position for Jane in the table using the MATCH
function, follow the steps below:

Step 1: First, select a cell where you want to display the result. In
this example I select cell F2.
Step 2: In the selected cell, enter the following formula
“=MATCH(E2,B3:B9,0)”.

Here is how the formula works:

Lookup value is E2. This is the value we want to find in the

lookup array. In this case, we're searching for the name
"Jane".

Lookup array is B3:B9. This is the range of cells that we

want to search for the lookup value. In this case, we're
searching for the name "Jane" in the range B3:B9 of the
worksheet.

Match type is 0. This specifies the type of match that we

want to perform. A value of 0 means we want to find an
exact match for the lookup value. If we had entered 1
instead, Excel would perform an approximate match and
return the position of the closest value in the lookup array
that is less than or equal to the lookup value. Similarly, if
we had entered -1, Excel would perform an approximate
match and return the position of the closest value in the
 lookup array that is greater than or equal to the lookup
value.

Putting all of these arguments together, the MATCH

function looks for the value in cell E2 (i.e. "Jane") in the
range B3:B9 of the worksheet, and returns the position of
the first cell in the lookup array that contains an exact
match for that value.

Step 3: Press Enter to calculate the formula. The result should be

the position of the name you searched for in the list of names. In this
case, since "Jane" is in the second row of the range B3:B9, the
formula returns the value 2.

Note: If the lookup_value is not found in the lookup_array, the

function returns the #N/A error.

To Summarise
The MATCH function is a powerful tool in Microsoft Excel that
allows you to find the position of a value within a range of cells. By
using this function with a lookup value, lookup array, and match
type, you can quickly and easily retrieve the position of a specific
value in a table, list, or database. This can be especially useful when
working with large datasets or when you need to locate specific
information within a worksheet. By following the step-by-step
instructions provided above, you can use the MATCH function in
your own Excel spreadsheets to search for specific values and
retrieve the position of those values within a range of cells.

INDEX-MATCH Functions

What is it?
You have learnt what the INDEX and MATCH functions are and how
they work with examples. However, by combining the INDEX and
MATCH functions together, you can perform even more powerful
lookups. As you have discovered, the INDEX function returns the
value of a cell in a table based on its row and column numbers, while
the MATCH function searches for a specified value in a range and
returns its position.

To use both these functions together to perform a lookup, you can

use the MATCH function to find the row or column number of the
desired value, and then use the INDEX function to retrieve the value
at that position.

Example:
Suppose you have a table of employee data that looks like this:

You want to use the Employee ID in column C to look up the

corresponding Department in column D. In this example, I want to
return the Department for Employee ID 23456. Here are the steps to
do this by combining the INDEX and MATCH functions together:

Step 1: Select a cell where you want to display the result of the
lookup. In this example, I select cell G3.
Step 2: In that cell, type the following formula
“=INDEX(D3:D6,MATCH(F3,C3:C6,0))”.

Here is how the formula works:

The MATCH function looks for the value in cell F3 (the

Employee ID) within the C3:C6 range (the Employee ID
column), and returns the row number where it finds a
match. The 0 at the end of the MATCH function tells Excel
to look for an exact match.

The INDEX function takes the row number returned by

MATCH and uses it to look up the corresponding value in
the D3:D6 range (the Department column).

Let’s break this formula a bit further to see exactly what’s happening:

MATCH(F3,C3:C6,0) finds the row number where the

Employee ID in cell F3 appears in column C.

The result of MATCH is then passed as the row number

argument to INDEX.

INDEX(D3:D6, row number) returns the value in the

same row of column D.
 So in this case, the formula is saying "find the row number
where the Employee ID in cell F3, i.e. “23456” appears in
column C, then return the corresponding value in column
D in that same row".

Step 3: Press Enter to execute the formula. The result should be the
Department associated with the Employee ID you looked up. In this
case, if you looked up Employee ID 23456, the result should be
"Marketing".

The example above shows you how to perform a row lookup. Here is
another example of how to combine the INDEX and MATCH
functions to create a more powerful formula by looking up both the
row and column position of an array.

Let's say we have a table that shows the scores of different students
in different subjects:

We want to find the scores of a specific student, let's say Sarah for
Science. We can use the following steps to do this:

Step 1: Start by selecting a cell where we want the result to be

displayed. In this example, I will use cell H5.
Step 2: Type the following formula
“=INDEX(C3:E6,MATCH(H3,B3:B6,0),MATCH(H4,C2:E2,0
))”.

Let’s break this formula down:

The first MATCH function finds the row position for

Sarah. It looks for the value in cell H3 (the Student Name)
within the B3:B6 range (the Student Name column), and
returns the row number where it finds a match. The 0 at
the end of the MATCH function tells Excel to look for an
exact match.

The second MATCH function finds the column position

for the subject Science. It looks for the value in cell H4
(the Subject) within the C2:E2 range (the Subject
columns), and returns the column number where it finds a
match. The 0 at the end of the MATCH function tells Excel
to look for an exact match.

The INDEX function takes the row number returned by

the first MATCH and uses it to look up the corresponding
value in the B3:B6 range (the Student Name column). It
then takes the column number returned by the second
MATCH and uses it to look up the corresponding value in
the C2:E2 range (the Subject columns).
Step 3: Press Enter to calculate the formula. The result should
return 90.

To Summarise
The combination of INDEX and MATCH functions in Excel is a
powerful tool that allows users to perform lookups and retrieve data
from tables. This function is useful when searching for specific data
in large datasets or when you need to retrieve a row or column of
data based on a specific value. By using the MATCH function to find
the position of the data in the table and the INDEX function to
retrieve the data, users can perform complex lookups with ease. This
function is a great addition to the Excel toolset and can help users
save time and increase their productivity.

XMATCH Function

What is it?
The XMATCH function is a new and improved version of the
MATCH function in Microsoft Excel, which allows for more
flexibility and power when searching for values in a range or array.
The XMATCH function was introduced in Excel 365, so it may not be
available in earlier versions of Excel.

Syntax
=XMATCH(lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_mode],
[search_mode])

Arguments
lookup_value (required): This is the value you want to
search for in the lookup_array.

lookup_array (required): This is the range or array of

cells in which you want to search for the lookup_value.
 match_mode (optional): This argument specifies
whether the lookup should be an exact match or an
approximate match. It can take one of three values:

0 or omitted: This is the default value, and it performs

an exact match.

1: This specifies an approximate match using the

"closest match" rule. The lookup_array must be sorted
in ascending order.

-1: This specifies an approximate match using the

"closest match" rule. The lookup_array must be sorted
in descending order.

search_mode (optional): This argument specifies the

type of search to perform. It can take one of three values:

1 or omitted: This is the default value, and it performs a

binary search.

2: This specifies a linear search.

-1: This specifies a binary search, but the lookup_array

must be sorted in descending order.

Example:
Suppose you have the following data in cells B2:C7:
You want to find the position of Cherry in the Item column. Here are
the steps to do this using the XMATCH function:

Step 1: Click on an empty cell where you want to display the result.
In this example, I select cell F3.

Step 2: Type the XMATCH formula “=XMATCH(E3,B3:B7,0)” in

the selected cell.
Below is a breakdown of the formula:

"Cherry" in cell E3 is the lookup value and the value you

want to match.

B3:B7 is the lookup array where you want to search for the
value.

The match mode is 0 which indicates that you want an

exact match.

So the formula tells Excel to search the range B3:B7 for

the value "Cherry", and return the position of the cell
where it's found.

Step 3: Press Enter to execute the formula. The result will be 3

because Cherry is in the 3rd row of the Item column.

Note: The XMATCH function is an improvement over the MATCH

function because it offers more options for searching and matching
values. With the XMATCH function, you can perform approximate
matches using either a binary or linear search, and you can also
specify whether the lookup_array is sorted in ascending or
descending order.

To Summarise
Overall, the XMATCH function is a powerful tool for searching and
matching values in Excel, and it can be very useful for a wide range of
applications, including data analysis, financial modelling, and more.

LOOKUP Function

What is it?
The Excel LOOKUP function is used to search for a value in a sorted
array or range, and then returns the corresponding value in a
specified column or row. This function is useful when you need to
find a specific value in a large set of data.

Syntax
=LOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_vector, [result_vector])

Arguments
lookup_value (required): This is the value you are
looking for in the lookup_vector. It can be a value,
reference, or cell.

lookup_vector (required): This is the range of cells or

array where the lookup_value is located. The
lookup_vector must be sorted in ascending order,
otherwise, the result may be incorrect.

result_vector: (optional) This is the range of cells or

array where the corresponding value is located. If the
result_vector is not provided, the lookup_vector will be
used as the result_vector.

Example:
Suppose we have a table of data that shows the letter grades
corresponding to different numerical scores as shown below:
We want to use the LOOKUP function to find the letter grade for a
given score, let’s say 85. We will insert the letter grade for the score
in cell E3. Below are the steps to do this:

Step 1: First, select a cell where you want to display the result. In
this example, I select cell E3.

Step 2: Next, enter the following formula into cell E3

“=LOOKUP(E2,A2:A6,B2:B6)”.

Let's break down this formula:

 Cell E2 is the lookup_value argument, which is the score
that we want to find the letter grade for.

Range A2:A6 is the lookup_vector argument, which is the

range of scores that the grades are associated with.

Range B2:B6 is the result_vector argument, which is the

range of letter grades corresponding to the scores.

The LOOKUP function searches for the lookup_value

argument (which is 85 in this example) in the
lookup_vector argument, and then returns the
corresponding value from the result_vector argument.
Since 85 falls between 80 and 90 in the lookup_vector,
the function returns the corresponding value from the
result_vector, which is "B".

Step 3: Press Enter to complete the formula. Excel should return

the letter grade ”B”.

Note: The lookup_vector must be sorted in ascending order for the

function to work properly. If it is not sorted, the function may return
incorrect results.

To Summarise
Overall, the LOOKUP function can be a valuable tool for anyone
working with Excel who needs to search for values within a large
dataset. With a basic understanding of the syntax and how the
function works, users can quickly and easily find the information
they need without having to manually search through large amounts
of data.
Logical Functions
Excel logical functions return either a TRUE or FALSE value based on a
logical test or comparison. They are commonly used in Excel formulas and
conditional formatting to automate decision-making processes. By using
Excel logical functions, users can perform powerful calculations and make
informed decisions based on data. In this chapter we will explore the most
commonly used logical functions.

IF Function
What is it?

The IF function is a conditional function in Microsoft Excel that allows you

to perform different actions based on a logical test. The function evaluates a
specified condition and returns one value if the condition is true, and
another value if the condition is false.

Syntax

=IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value_if_false)

Arguments

logical_test (required): This is a required argument that specifies the

condition to be tested. It can be a logical expression, a cell reference,
or a value. If the logical_test is true, the function returns the
value_if_true argument; otherwise, it returns the value_if_false
argument.

value_if_true (required): This is the value that the function returns if

the logical_test argument is true. It can be a value, a formula, or a cell
reference.
 value_if_false (optional): This is the value that the function returns if
the logical_test argument is false. It can be a value, a formula, or a cell
reference.

Example 1:

Suppose you have a list of exam scores and you want to check which
students scored above 80. Here is what the data looks like:

The goal is to enter an IF formula in column C which returns a “Yes” if the

score is above 80 and “No” if it is below 80. Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: In the first cell in C3 in the Above 80 column, type the following
formula “=IF(B3>80, "Yes", "No")”.

Here is how the formula works:

Cell B3 is used as the logical_test argument and will check if the exam
score is greater than 80.

If it is, the value_if_true argument will display "Yes" in the Above 80

column.

If it isn't above 80, the value_if_false argument will display "No".

Step 2: Press Enter.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the rest of the cells in column C in the
Above 80 column. The cells will display a “Yes” if any score in column B
is over 80 and “No” if it is below 80.

Example 2:
This next example will use the IF function to calculate a bonus amount
based on sales performance.

Suppose you have a list of salespeople in column B and their sales figures
in column C, and you want to calculate a bonus amount based on their
performance. If the salespersons sales figure is above 10,000, then you give
a 10% bonus otherwise there is no bonus. You can use the IF function to do
this.

Step 1: In the first cell of the Bonus column, type the following formula
“=IF(C3>10000, C3*0.1, 0)”.

Here is how the formula works:

Cell C3 is used as the logical_test argument and will check if the sales
figure is greater than 10000.

If it is greater than 10000, the value_if_true argument will multiply the

sales figure in cell C3 by 0.1.

If it isn't above 10000, the value_if_false argument will display a zero.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the rest of the cells in the Bonus column.
The formula will calculate a bonus of 10% for all salespeople with sales
above 10,000. The bonus will be allocated to “John”, “Mark” and “Tom”.

Example 3:

You can also nest IF functions to create more logical formulas.

Suppose you have a list of sales figures and you want to calculate a
commission rate based on the salesperson's performance and the type of
product they sold. You can use the IF function with nested conditions to do
this. Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: In the first cell of the Commission column, type the following
formula “=IF(D3>10000, IF(C3="Product A", 0.15, 0.1), IF(C3="Product
A", 0.1, 0.05))”.

Here is how the formula works:

The formula will first check if the sales figure in cell D3 is greater
than 10000. If it is, it will check if the product type in cell C3 is
"Product A". If it is, it will calculate a commission rate of 15%. If it
isn't, it will calculate a commission rate of 10%.

If the sales figure in cell D3 is not greater than 10000, the formula will
check if the product type in cell C3 is "Product A". If it is, it will
calculate a commission rate of 10%. If it isn't, it will calculate a
commission rate of 5%.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the rest of the cells in the Commission
column.

Note: The logical_test argument can be any logical expression that returns
TRUE or FALSE. For example, you can use comparison operators such as
>, <, >=, <=, =, or <>, as well as logical operators such as AND, OR, or
NOT.

To Summarise

The IF function is a powerful tool in Microsoft Excel that allows users to

automate decision-making processes based on specific conditions. It can be
used to perform simple tasks like checking if a value meets a certain
criteria, or more complex tasks like calculating commission rates based on
multiple conditions. By following the step-by-step instructions and
examples provided above, users can gain a better understanding of how to
use the IF function effectively in their spreadsheets. With its versatility and
usefulness, the IF function is a valuable tool for anyone working with data
in Excel.

AND Function
What is it?

The AND function is a logical function in Excel that returns TRUE if all
the arguments provided to it are TRUE, and FALSE if any of the arguments
are FALSE. It is commonly used in combination with other logical
functions to evaluate complex conditions in Excel.

Syntax

=AND(logical1, [logical2], ...)

Arguments

logical1 (required): This is the first condition to be evaluated. It can be

a logical expression or a reference to a cell containing a logical value.
If the value of logical1 is TRUE, the function moves on to evaluate the
next logical argument (if any); otherwise, the function returns FALSE.

logical2, logical3, ... (optional): These are additional conditions to be

evaluated. You can include up to 255 logical arguments. Each
argument can be a logical expression or a reference to a cell
containing a logical value. If all the arguments are TRUE, the function
returns TRUE; otherwise, it returns FALSE.

Example:
Suppose we have a table of sales data for different products, and we want to
identify the products that sold more than 100 units in both Q1 and Q2 and
then display the results in column E. Here is what the data looks like:

Below are the steps to do this using the AND function:

Step 1: In cell E3, enter the formula “=AND(C3>100,D3>100)”.

Here is a breakdown of the formula:

C3>100: This is the first condition being tested. It checks if the sales
in Q1 for Product A is greater than 100.

D3>100: This is the second condition being tested. It checks if the

sales in Q2 for Product A is greater than 100.

The AND function then checks whether both of the conditions are
true.

If just one or no conditions are true, the AND function returns FALSE,
indicating that Product A does not meet both criteria (Q1 sales greater
than 100 and Q2 sales greater than 100). If both conditions are TRUE,
the AND function returns TRUE, indicating that Product A meets both
of the criteria.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the other rows in the table. The result in
each row will be either TRUE or FALSE, depending on whether the
product sold more than 100 units in both Q1 and Q2. In the example above,
the AND function in cells E3, E4 and E6 returns FALSE because products
A, B and D did not sell more than 100 units in both Q1 and Q2. The AND
function in cell E5 returns TRUE because product C sold more than 100
units in both Q1 and Q2.

To Summarise

The AND function in Excel is a logical function that allows you to test
multiple conditions and return a TRUE or FALSE result based on whether
all the conditions are met. The function takes one or more arguments that
can be either logical values (TRUE or FALSE), expressions that evaluate to
logical values, or cell references that contain logical values. When all the
arguments evaluate to TRUE, the function returns TRUE; otherwise, it
returns FALSE. The AND function is a powerful tool that can be used in a
variety of scenarios, such as checking if two conditions are both true or
testing if multiple conditions are met before taking a certain action. By
understanding how to use the AND function in Excel, you can save time
and streamline your spreadsheet calculations.

OR Function
What is it?

The Excel OR function is a logical function that returns a TRUE or FALSE

value based on whether any of the supplied conditions are true or not.

Syntax

=OR(logical1, [logical2], ...)

Arguments

logical1 (required): The first condition to evaluate. This argument can

be a value, expression, or cell reference that evaluates to either TRUE
or FALSE.

logical2 (optional): Additional conditions to evaluate. You can specify

up to 255 conditions separated by commas. Each additional condition
is evaluated in the same way as logical1.
Example:

Suppose we have a list of employees and their salaries in an Excel sheet,

and we want to find out which employees are either earning a salary greater
than $100,000 or have worked for the company for more than 5 years. Here
is what the data looks like:

In column E, we want to put an OR formula in to return a TRUE or FALSE

value. Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: In cell E3, enter the formula “=OR(C3>100000, D3>5)”.

Here is how each part of the formula works:

C3>100000: This is the first condition being tested. It checks if the

salary in cell C3 is greater than $100,000.

D3>5: This is the second condition being tested. It checks if the

number of years the employee has worked in cell D3 is greater than 5.

The OR function then checks whether at least one of the conditions is

true.

If either condition is true for a given employee, the OR function

returns TRUE, indicating that the employee meets at least one of the
criteria (salary greater than $100,000 or has worked for more than 5
years). If both conditions are false for a given employee, the OR
function returns FALSE, indicating that the employee does not meet
either of the criteria.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the other rows in the table. In this
example, the OR function returns TRUE for employees 1, 3, 4 and 5
because they either earn a salary greater than $100,000 or have worked for
the company for more than 5 years. The function returns FALSE for
employees 2 because neither condition is true.

To Summarise

The OR function in Excel is a powerful tool that allows users to test

multiple conditions at once and return a single result. By using the OR
function, users can easily evaluate complex data sets and make informed
decisions based on the results. With the step-by-step instructions provided
above and the example data, you should be able to apply the OR function in
your own Excel worksheets and analyse the data more efficiently.

IFS Function
What is it?

The IFS function in Microsoft Excel is a logical function that allows you to
test multiple conditions and return a value based on the first true condition.
It replaces the need for nested IF statements, making complex logical tests
easier to write and read.

Syntax

=IFS(logical_test1, value_if_true1, [logical_test2, value_if_true2], ...)

Arguments

logical_test1 (required): This is the first logical expression that you

want to test. It can be any expression that returns a logical value
(TRUE or FALSE).

value_if_true1 (required): This is the value that will be returned if the

first logical_test1 is TRUE.
 logical_test2, value_if_true2 (optional): These are additional logical
expressions and values that you want to test. You can include up to
127 additional pairs of logical expressions and values. Each pair must
be enclosed in square brackets and separated by a comma.

Example:

Suppose you have a dataset that contains the names of different fruits and
their corresponding prices, and you want to categorise the fruits based on
their prices into three categories: "Expensive", "Moderate", and "Cheap".
Below is what the data set looks like:

The price equal to 5 or above is classed as expensive. A price equal or

above 2 is classed as moderate and anything below 2 is cheap. We want to
enter the results in column D. Here's how you can use the Excel IFS
function to categorise the fruits based on their prices:

Step 1: In cell D3, enter the formula

“=IFS(C3>=5,"Expensive",C3>=2,"Moderate",C3<2,"Cheap")”.

Here's how the formula works:

The first condition is C3>=5, which checks whether the price in cell
C3 is greater than or equal to 5. If this condition is met, the formula
returns "Expensive".

If the first condition is not met, the formula moves on to the next
condition, which is C3>=2. This condition checks whether the price in
cell C3 is greater than or equal to 2. If this condition is met, the
formula returns "Moderate".

If neither of the first two conditions are met, the formula moves on to
the final condition, which is C3<2. This condition checks whether the
 price in cell C3 is less than 2. If this condition is met, the formula
returns "Cheap".

So, in short, the IFS function checks the price of each fruit in the
dataset and assigns it to one of three categories based on its price. If
the price is greater than or equal to 5, it's categorised as "Expensive".
If it's greater than or equal to 2 but less than 5, it's categorised as
"Moderate". If it's less than 2, it's categorised as "Cheap".

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the function to the first cell. The result should
show the category of the fruit based on its price.

Step 3: Copy the formula from the first cell to the rest of the cells in the
Category column. Each fruit is now categorised based on its price.

To Summarise

The IFS function in Excel is a powerful tool that allows you to categorise
data based on multiple conditions. By using the IFS function, you can
quickly and easily categorise data into different groups, making it easier to
analyse and make decisions based on the data. In the example provided, we
saw how the IFS function was used to categorise fruits based on their prices
into three categories: "Expensive", "Moderate", and "Cheap". By following
the steps provided, you can use the IFS function to categorise your own
data based on the conditions that are important to you.

IFERROR Function
What is it?

The IFERROR function in Excel is a formula that allows you to handle

errors in a more organised and efficient way. It is typically used in
situations where a formula might return an error, such as a #VALUE! or
#DIV/0! error, and you want to display a specific value or message instead
of the error.
Syntax

=IFERROR(value, value_if_error)

Arguments

value (required): This is the expression or formula that you want to

evaluate. If this value results in an error, the IFERROR function will
return the value specified in the second argument (value_if_error).

value_if_error (required): This is the value or message that you want

to return if the first argument results in an error.

Example:

Below shows sample data in columns A and B.

The goal is to divide the figures in column A by column B and to return an

“Error” message if there is an error in the calculation. To do this, we need
to enter an IFERROR formula in column C. Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: In cell C1, enter the following formula “=IFERROR(A1/B1,

"Error")”.

Here is how the formula works:

This formula divides the value in cell A1 by the value in cell B1.

If this calculation produces a valid result, the result is displayed in cell

C1.

However, if there is an error in the calculation (such as dividing by

zero or a non-numeric value), the IFERROR function returns the text
"Error" instead of the error message.
Step 2: Press Enter, and you should see the result 2 in cell C1, which is the
result of dividing 10 by 5.

Step 3: Copy the formula from cell C1 and paste it into cells C2 to C5.

In this example, the IFERROR function helps to handle any errors that may
occur in the division calculation. If there is an error, it returns the text
"Error" instead of the error message, making the spreadsheet more readable
and easier to understand.

To Summarise

The Excel IFERROR function is a useful tool that allows users to handle
errors that may occur in their calculations. By using this function, users can
specify what value to display when an error occurs, rather than seeing the
error message in the cell. This not only makes the spreadsheet more
organised and readable but also helps to avoid confusion and mistakes that
could occur when dealing with error messages. Overall, the IFERROR
function is a simple yet powerful tool that makes your worksheets look
more clean and presentable.
 Text Functions
Excel text functions are a group of built-in functions that are
designed to manipulate and analyse text strings in Microsoft Excel.
These functions are useful when you need to extract, combine,
format, or analyse text data in your worksheets.

LEFT Function

What is it?
The Excel LEFT function is a text function that allows you to extract
a specified number of characters from the left side of a text string.
This function is useful when you need to extract a specific part of a
longer string of text, such as a name or a code, and use it elsewhere
in your spreadsheet.

Syntax
=LEFT(text, [num_chars])

Arguments
text (required): This is the text string that you want to
extract characters from. It can be a cell reference, a text
string in quotation marks, or the result of another
formula.

num_chars (optional): This is the number of characters

that you want to extract from the left side of the text
string. If you omit this argument, the function will extract
one character by default. If you specify a value for this
argument that is greater than the total number of
characters in the text string, the function will return the
entire text string.
Example:
Suppose you have a list of names in column A, and you want to
extract the first three characters of each name into column B using
the LEFT function. The sample data looks like this:

Follow the steps below to extract the first three characters of the first
name:
Step 1: In cell B2, enter the LEFT function and specify the cell you
want to extract the characters from (in this case, A2), and the
number of characters you want to extract (in this case, 3). The
formula will be “=LEFT(A2,3)”.

This is a breakdown of the formula:

The first argument of the LEFT function is the text string

to extract characters from, which is cell A2 in this case.

The second argument is the number of characters to

extract from the left of the text string, which is 3.

Step 2: Press Enter to complete the formula. The result should be

the first three characters of the name in cell A2, which in this case is
"Joh".

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the other cells in column B. Once
you've copied the formula to all the cells in column B, the result
should be the first three characters of each name in column A.

To change the number of characters you want to extract from the left,
just change the value in the num_chars argument. For example, if
you want to extract 4 characters from the left, just change the value
to 4.

To Summarise
The Excel LEFT function is a powerful tool that allows you to extract
a specific number of characters from the left side of a text string.
With this function, you can easily extract and manipulate data in
your spreadsheet, making it more useful and relevant to your needs.
By providing the text string and the number of characters to extract,
you can quickly obtain the desired information from a larger text
string. This can be particularly useful in situations where you need to
extract names, codes, or other information from a larger dataset.
With its simple syntax and easy-to-use arguments, the LEFT
function is a valuable tool for any Excel user who needs to work with
text strings in their spreadsheets.

RIGHT Function

What is it?
The Excel RIGHT function is a built-in text function that allows users
to extract a specified number of characters from the right end of a
text string. For example, if you have a list of product codes and you
want to extract the last two digits to identify the product type, you
can use the RIGHT function to extract those characters.

Syntax
=RIGHT(text,[num_chars])

Arguments
text (required): This is the text string that you want to
extract characters from. It can be entered directly into the
formula or referenced from a cell.
 num_chars (optional): This argument specifies the
number of characters that you want to extract from the
right end of the text string. If this argument is omitted, the
function will extract one character by default.

Example:
Suppose we have the following data in an Excel spreadsheet which
shows a list of product names in column B and the SKU’s in column
C:

We want to extract the last two characters of the SKU number for
each product. Here's how we can do this using the RIGHT function:
Step 1: In cell D3, enter the formula “=RIGHT(C3,2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

C3 is the text argument. This tells Excel to extract

characters from the SKU number in cell C3.

2 is the num_chars argument. This tells Excel to extract

the last two characters from the SKU number in cell C3.

Step 2: Press Enter to complete the formula for the first row. The
result should be the last two characters of the SKU in cell C3, which
in this case is 10.
Step 3: Copy the formula down to the other cells in column D. Once
you've copied the formula down in the column, the result returns the
last two characters of each SKU in column C.

To change the number of characters you want to extract from the

right, just change the value in the num_chars argument. For
example, if you want to extract 3 characters from the right, just
change the value to 3.

To Summarise
The RIGHT function in Excel is a useful tool for extracting a
specified number of characters from the right-hand side of a string.
By following the step-by-step instructions above, we were able to use
the RIGHT function to extract the last two characters of the SKU
number for each product in our example data set. The result was a
new column that displayed the extracted characters, which can be
used for further analysis or sorting purposes.

MID Function

What is it?
The Excel MID function allows users to extract a specific number of
characters from a text string, starting at a specified position. The
function stands for "middle" since it can be used to extract a portion
of text from the middle of a longer string. To use the MID function,
you need to provide a text string, a starting position, and the number
of characters to extract.

Syntax
=MID(text, start_num, num_chars)

Arguments
text (required): The text string that contains the substring
you want to extract. This can be entered directly into the
formula or can be referenced from a cell.

start_num (required): The starting position of the

substring you want to extract. This is the position within
the text string where the extraction should begin.

num_chars (required): The number of characters to

extract from the text string, starting from the position
specified in start_num.

Example:
Suppose you have a list of names in column A. The goal is to extract
three characters after the second character in each name into column
B using the MID function. The sample data looks like this:

Here's how we can do this using the MID function:

Step 1: In cell B2, enter the formula “=MID(A2,2,3)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The text argument is the name in cell A2.

The start_num argument is 2, because we want to start

extracting characters from the second position in the
name.

The num_chars argument is 3, because we want to extract

the first three characters after the second position of the
name.

Step 2: Press Enter to complete the formula.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the other cells in column B. The
MID function has extracted the first three letters of each name after
the second character and displayed them in column B.

Note: The MID function can be used to extract both text and
numbers from a string.

To Summarise
The MID function in Excel is a powerful tool for extracting specific
characters from a text string. By specifying the starting position and
number of characters to extract, you can quickly and easily
manipulate data in your spreadsheets to meet your needs. With the
step-by-step instructions and example provided earlier, you should
be able to use the MID function to extract data from your own
spreadsheets with ease.

LEN Function
What is it?
The Excel LEN function is a text function that returns the number of
characters in a given text string. It can be used to count the number
of characters in a cell or a range of cells. It includes spaces and any
other non-printable characters. It is useful when you want to count
the number of characters in a cell or verify if a text string meets
certain length criteria.

Syntax
=LEN(text)

Arguments
text (required): Specifies the text string that you want to
count the number of characters. It can be a cell reference,
a text string enclosed in quotation marks, or a
combination of both.

Example:
Suppose we have a list of names in column A of an Excel
spreadsheet, and we want to find out the length of each name and
enter it in column B.

Here's how we can do this using the LEN function:

Step 1: In cell B2, enter the formula “=LEN(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

 The LEN function takes one argument, which is the text
string that you want to find the length of. In this case, we
are using cell A2 as the argument, which contains the first
name in the list.

It counts each character in the string, including spaces,

punctuation marks, and other special characters and then
returns the number of characters in the text string.

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the formula. The result should be the
length of the name in cell A2 which is 4.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the other cells in column B. The
LEN function has calculated the length of each name in column A
and displayed them in column B.

To Summarise
The LEN function is a very useful Excel function and can be used for
a wide variety of reasons. For example, if you want to make sure that
a password is at least 8 characters long, you can use the LEN
function to check the length of the password and return an error
message if it does not meet the criteria.

CONCAT Function

What is it?
The CONCAT function in Microsoft Excel is a text function that
allows you to combine two or more text strings into a single string.
The resulting text string is created by joining the strings together in
the order that they are listed. The CONCAT function can be used to
concatenate text strings, cell references, and other text or numeric
values.
Syntax
=CONCAT(text1, [text2], ...)

Arguments
text1 (required): The first text string that you want to
concatenate. This can be entered as a string of text
enclosed in quotation marks (" "), or as a cell reference to
a cell that contains the text you want to concatenate.

text2 (optional): The second text string that you want to

concatenate. You can include up to 253 additional text
strings in the function. Each text string should be
separated by a comma.

Example:
Let's say we have a table of data that contains first names and last
names in separate columns. The goal is to join the first and last
names and enter the full name in column C.

Here's how we can do this using the CONCAT function:

Step 1: In cell C2, enter the formula “=CONCAT(A2," ",B2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

Cell A2 is the text1 argument and is the first name we want

to concatenate.

The text2 argument is the double quotation marks (“ “)

which adds a space between the first and last name.
 Cell B2 is the text3 argument and is the last name we want
to concatenate.

Step 2: Press Enter on your keyboard to apply the formula to the

cell.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the other cells in column C. As

you can see, the CONCAT function has joined the first and last
names together into a single string in the new "Full Name" column.

CONCAT vs CONCATENTATE Functions

There is another Excel function that also joins text together called
CONCATENTATE. Both the CONCAT and CONCATENTATE join
two or more text strings into a single text string. However, there is a
difference in the way these functions are used.

The CONCAT function was introduced in Excel 2016 and is a

simplified version of the CONCATENATE function. The main
difference between the two is that CONCAT can handle ranges or
arrays of cell references as inputs, whereas CONCATENATE can only
accept up to 30 individual cell references or text strings as
arguments.

To illustrate this point, let’s say we have a list of first names again in
column A and we want to combine these names into one in cell C2.

When we use the CONCAT function, we can use the formula

“=CONCAT(A2:A5)”. This function concatenates the four cell
values into a single string.
On the other hand, if we use CONCATENATE with the same input
range, we would need to specify each cell reference individually as
follows, “=CONCATENATE(A2&A3&A4&A5)”.

In other words, CONCAT is a more versatile function that can handle

a larger number of input references, while CONCATENATE is more
limited in its input capabilities.

TEXTJOIN Function

What is it?
The Excel TEXTJOIN function is used to concatenate text from
multiple cells or ranges, with a specified delimiter separating each
piece of text. It was introduced in Excel 2019 and Excel 365.

Syntax
=TEXTJOIN(delimiter, ignore_empty, text1, [text2], ...)

Arguments
delimiter (required): The character or characters to use
as a separator between each text value. This can be any
text value, including spaces, commas, semicolons, etc.
This argument cannot be empty, and it is always treated as
text.

ignore_empty (required): A logical value (TRUE or

FALSE) that specifies whether to ignore or include empty
cells in the final text string. If set to TRUE, empty cells are
skipped and not included in the result. If set to FALSE,
empty cells are included in the result.

text1 (required): The first piece of text to concatenate.

This can be a cell reference, a range of cells, or a text value
 enclosed in quotation marks.

text2, ... (optional): Additional pieces of text to

concatenate. You can include up to 252 text arguments in
total.

Example:
Let's say you have a list of fruits and you want to combine them into
a single cell separated by commas. Here is what the data looks like:

Follow the below steps to join all the fruits in one cell separated by
commas using the TEXTJOIN function:

Step 1: Select the cell where you want the combined text to appear.
In this example, we'll select cell C2. Type the following formula,
“=TEXTJOIN(",",TRUE,A2:A5)”.

Here is how the formula works:

“,” is the delimiter argument that is used to separate the

text. In this case, we're using a comma to separate each
fruit name.

The ignore_empty argument is set to TRUE. This tells

Excel to ignore any blank cells in the range of cells. This
means that if there are any blank cells between the fruit
names, they will not be included in the final result.

The range A2:A5 is the text1 argument. This is the range of

cells containing the text you want to join.
Step 2: Press Enter on your keyboard to apply the formula to cell
C2. The result should be the combined text with commas separating
the fruit names.

Note: The TEXTJOIN function is only available in Excel 365 and

Excel 2019. If you are using an earlier version of Excel, you can use
the CONCATENATE function to achieve a similar result.

To Summarise
The TEXTJOIN function in Excel is a useful tool for combining text
strings in a range of cells into a single cell, separated by a specified
delimiter. By using the TEXTJOIN function, you can save time and
effort in manually joining text strings, especially when dealing with
large amounts of data. The function is flexible and can be customised
to meet your specific needs, whether you want to include or exclude
empty cells, or use a different delimiter.

TRIM Function

What is it?
The Excel TRIM function is used to remove leading and trailing
spaces from a given text string. It can also remove other non-
printable characters such as line breaks, tabs, and carriage returns.

Syntax
=TRIM(text)

Arguments
text (required): The text string that you want to trim. It
can be a cell reference, or a text string enclosed in
quotation marks.
Example:
Suppose you have a list of names in an Excel spreadsheet with
leading and/or trailing spaces, like this:

You can use the TRIM function to remove those spaces and get a
clean list of names. Here's how:

Step 1: In cell B2, enter the formula “=TRIM(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

Cell A2 contains the text string that you want to clean up.

The TRIM function then removes any leading or trailing

spaces from the text string. A leading space is a space at
the beginning of the text string, and a trailing space is a
space at the end of the text string.

Next, the TRIM function removes any extra spaces

between words in the text string. If there are multiple
spaces between words, the TRIM function will remove all
but one space.

The cleaned-up text string is then returned by the TRIM

function.

Step 2: Press Enter to confirm the formula. Excel will now display
the cleaned up name for John McDonald in cell B2.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the other cells in column B. As

you can see, the TRIM function has removed the leading and/or
trailing spaces from each name, making the list cleaner and easier to
read.

To Summarise
The trim function is an excellent tool to clean text and therefore
make your data easier to work with. Below are a few examples of
when you might use the TRIM function in Excel:

Cleaning up imported data: If you're working with

data that was imported from another source (e.g. a text
file), it's common for the data to include extra spaces,
tabs, or other characters that can make it difficult to work
with. In this case, you can use the TRIM function to
remove those extra characters and make the data cleaner
and easier to analyse.

Comparing text strings: When you're comparing text

strings in Excel (e.g. to check if two names match), it's
important to make sure that the strings are formatted
consistently. If one string has extra spaces or other
characters that the other string doesn't have, the
comparison won't work correctly. By using the TRIM
function to remove those extra characters, you can ensure
that the strings are formatted consistently and the
comparison will be accurate.

Formatting text for display: In some cases, you may

want to format text in a certain way for display purposes
(e.g. removing extra spaces between words). In this case,
you can use the TRIM function to clean up the text and
make it look more presentable.

Removing unwanted spaces from user input: If

you're building a form or other type of user input interface
in Excel, it's common for users to accidentally enter extra
spaces before or after their input. By using the TRIM
function to remove those extra spaces, you can ensure that
 the user input is formatted consistently and won't cause
errors in your calculations or analysis.

LOWER Function

What is it?
The Excel LOWER function is a text function used to convert letters
in a given text string to lowercase. It returns the text in all lowercase
letters.

Syntax
=LOWER(text)

Arguments
text (required): This is the text string that you want to
convert to lowercase. It can be a reference to a cell or a
text string enclosed in double quotation marks.

Example:
Suppose we have a list of products in both uppercase and lowercase
letters in column A, and we want to convert them all to lowercase
using the LOWER function and display the results in column B.

Here are the steps to convert all the text to lowercase:

Step 1: In cell B2, enter the formula “=LOWER(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

 Cell A2 is used as the text argument as it is the text string
that we want to convert to lowercase.

The formula will apply the LOWER function to the text in

cell A2 and convert it to lowercase, and display the result
in cell B2.

Step 2: Press Enter to confirm the formula. Excel will convert the
text in cell A2 which is all uppercase, to lowercase in cell B2.

Step 3: Copy the formula to the rest of the cells in column B. The
LOWER function has changed the text in column A to all lowercase
text in column B.

To Summarise
By using this function, users can quickly and easily transform text to
lowercase letters. This can be helpful in a variety of scenarios, such
as when dealing with data that was entered in all caps. The process of
using the LOWER function is simple and straightforward, and it can
be applied to a range of cells to quickly convert large amounts of
data. It can save time and effort by automating the process of
converting text to lowercase, and it can help to ensure that data is
consistent and easily readable.

UPPER Function

What is it?
The Excel UPPER function is a text function used to convert letters
in a given text string to uppercase. It returns the text in all uppercase
letters.

Syntax
=UPPER(text)

Arguments
text (required): This is the text string that you want to
convert to uppercase. It can be a reference to a cell or a
text string enclosed in double quotation marks.

Example:
Suppose you have a list of names in column A that are all in
lowercase, and you want to convert them to uppercase using the
UPPER function and display the results in column B.

Here are the steps to covert all the text to uppercase:

Step 1: In cell B2, enter the formula “=UPPER(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

Cell A2 is used as the text argument as it is the text string

that we want to convert to uppercase.

The formula will apply the UPPER function to the text in

cell A2 and convert it to uppercase, and display the result
in cell B2.

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the formula. Excel will convert the text
in cell A2 which is all lowercase, to uppercase in cell B2.
Step 3: Copy the formula to the rest of the cells in column B. The
UPPER function has changed the text in column A to all uppercase
text in column B.

To Summarise
The UPPER function is a useful tool for converting text to a
consistent format, especially when working with large amounts of
data. If you have a column of text in lower case or mixed case format,
you can use the UPPER function to convert all the text to uppercase
so that they are consistent and easier to read.

PROPER Function

What is it?
The Excel PROPER function is a text function used to convert the
first letter of each word in a given string to uppercase, while
converting all other letters to lowercase.

Syntax
=PROPER(text)

Arguments
text (required): The text or reference to a cell containing
text that you want to convert. This argument can be up to
255 characters long.

Example:
Suppose you have a list of names in column A that are all in
lowercase, and you want to properly capitalise the names so it is in
the correct format and display the results in column B. Below is the
data:
To do this, use the PROPER function using the steps below:

Step 1: In cell B2, enter the formula “=PROPER(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

Cell A2 is used as the text argument as it is the text string

that we want to convert to proper case.

The formula will apply the PROPER function to the text in

cell A2 and change the first letter of each name in
uppercase and leave the rest as lowercase, and display the
result in cell B2.

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the formula.

Step 3: Copy the formula to the rest of the cells in column B. The
PROPER function has changed the text in column A to proper case
text in column B.

Note: The PROPER function only converts the first letter of each
word to uppercase, so be careful if you have text with acronyms or
text that needs to be in all caps.

To Summarise
The Excel PROPER function is a useful tool that can save time and
effort when working with text data in a spreadsheet. By capitalising
the first letter of each word in a text string, the PROPER function can
help standardise the formatting of data and make it easier to read
and understand. Whether you are creating titles and headings, or
simply cleaning up messy text data, the PROPER function can be a
valuable tool in your Excel toolbox. By following the step-by-step
instructions provided above, you can easily use the PROPER
function to capitalise text in your own spreadsheets and improve the
clarity and organisation of your data.

SUBSTITUTE Function

What is it?
The Excel SUBSTITUTE function is a text function used to replace
one or all occurrences of a specified text string within a larger text
string. It is commonly used to manipulate and clean data in
spreadsheets.

Syntax
=SUBSTITUTE(text, old_text, new_text, [instance_num])

Arguments
text (required): This is the text string that contains the
characters you want to replace.

old_text (required): This is the text string or character

that you want to replace.

new_text (required): This is the new text string or

character that you want to replace the old text with.

instance_num (optional): This argument is used to

specify which occurrence of the old text you want to
replace. If you omit this argument, all occurrences of the
old text will be replaced.

Example:
Suppose you have a list of email addresses that you need to clean up.
The email addresses have an underscore (_) in the middle of the
name, and you want to replace the underscore with a dot (.). Here's
the data:

To replace the underscores with a dot, you can use the SUBSTITUTE
function by following the steps below:

Step 1: In cell C3, enter the formula

“=SUBSTITUTE(B3,"_",".")”.

Here is how the formula works:

B3 is the cell reference of the text you want to modify.

"_" is the old text you want to replace. In this case, we

want to replace the underscore (_) with a dot (.).

"." is the new text you want to replace the old text with.

The SUBSTITUTE function searches the text in cell B3 for

the first instance of the old text ("_") and replaces it with
the new text ("."). The result is the modified text with the
underscore replaced with the dot.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the formula.

Step 3: Copy the formula in cell C3 to the rest of the cells in column
C. The column now contains the cleaned up email addresses.

To Summarise
The SUBSTITUTE function in Excel is a useful tool for replacing text
in a cell with new text. By specifying the cell reference or text to be
modified, the old text to be replaced, and the new text to replace the
old text with, you can easily modify large sets of data in just a few
clicks. In the example provided, we used the SUBSTITUTE function
to replace the underscores in a list of email addresses with dots,
showing how this function can be used to quickly and efficiently
clean up data.

FIND Function

What is it?
The Excel FIND function is used to search for a specific character or
substring within a larger string of text, and it returns the position of
the first character of the found text. This function is useful when you
need to find the location of a specific character or substring within a
larger text string.

Syntax
=FIND(find_text, within_text, [start_num])

Arguments
find_text (required): This is the text or character that
you want to find within the larger text string.

within_text (required): This is the larger text string that

you want to search within.

start_num (optional): This is the starting position

within the larger text string where you want to begin the
search. If this argument is omitted, the search will begin at
the first character of the text string.
Example:
Suppose we have the following data in an Excel spreadsheet:

We want to find the position of the space character in each name in

column A and display the result in column B. Here are the steps to
use the FIND function in this example:

Step 1: In cell B2, enter the formula “=FIND(" ",A2)”.

This is how the formula works:

" " is the first argument, which is the character or text

string we want to find. In this case, we want to find the
position of the space character, so we enclose a space in
double quotes to indicate that we're searching for a space.

Cell A2 is the second argument, which is the text string we

want to search within. In this case, we're searching for the
space character in the name in cell A2.

The FIND function returns the position of the first

occurrence of the character or text string within the text
string being searched. In this case, it returns the position
of the first space character in cell A2.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the formula. Excel will display the
position of the space character in cell A2 (which is 6, since the space
is the sixth character in the string Bobby Stevens).

Step 3: Copy the formula in cell B2 to the rest of the cells in the
column B. This will apply the formula to each cell in column B, and
display the position of the space character in each name.

To Summarise
The Excel FIND function is a powerful tool that allows users to
search for a specific character or text string within a larger text
string, and return the position of the first occurrence of that
character or string. It is a useful function for manipulating and
analysing data in Excel, and can be used in a variety of ways to
perform tasks such as parsing text, extracting data, and cleaning up
data. By following the step-by-step instructions and understanding
how the formula works, users can effectively use the FIND function
to meet their data analysis needs in Excel.

SEARCH Function

What is it?
The Excel SEARCH function is a text function used to find the
position of a specified character or a string of characters within a text
string. It returns the position of the first character of the found text.

Syntax
=SEARCH(find_text, within_text, [start_num])

Arguments
find_text (required): This is the substring or the text you
want to find within the larger string. It can be a string,
number or cell reference.

within_text (required): This is the larger string in which

you want to search for the substring. It can also be a
string, number or cell reference.
 start_num (optional): This specifies the starting position
of the search. If omitted, the search starts from the first
character of the within_text string. If provided, it specifies
the character position in the within_text from which to
start the search.

Example:
Suppose we have a list of employee names in a column and we want
to find out the position of the substring "son". Here is what the data
looks like:

We can use the SEARCH function to do this. Here's how:

Step 1: In cell B2, enter the formula “=SEARCH("son",A2)”. This

formula will search for the substring "son" within the text in cell A2
and return the position of the first character of the substring.

Here is a breakdown of the formula:

"son" is the text we're searching for (the find_text

argument).

Cell A2 is the text string we're searching within (the

within_text argument).

The formula will locate the first position of when the text
“son” starts within the name in cell A2.

Step 2: Press Enter. The result will be a number that represents the
position of the substring "son" within the text in cell A2, which in
this case is 3.
Step 3: Copy the formula down to the remaining cells in column B.
If the substring is not found, the function will return the #VALUE!
error as shown in cell B8 because the text “Emma” does not contain
the substring “son”.

SEARCH vs FIND Excel Function

Both the FIND and SEARCH functions in Excel are used to find the
position of a substring within a text string. However, there is a key
difference between the two functions.

The FIND function is case-sensitive, meaning that it will distinguish

between uppercase and lowercase letters when searching for the
substring. For example, the formula =FIND("B","ABC") will return 2,
because "B" appears in the second position of the text string "ABC".
But the formula =FIND("b","ABC") will return the #VALUE! error,
because "b" does not appear in "ABC".

On the other hand, the SEARCH function is case-insensitive,

meaning that it does not distinguish between uppercase and
lowercase letters when searching for the substring. For example, the
formula =SEARCH("B","ABC") and =SEARCH("b","ABC") will both
return 2, because the function ignores case.

REPT Function

What is it?
The Excel REPT function is used to repeat a given text string a
certain number of times. It can be used to create repeated characters,
symbols, or words to fill a cell or range of cells.

Syntax
=REPT(text, number_of_times)

Arguments
text (required): This specifies the text string to be
repeated. It can be a cell reference, a text string, or a
formula that returns a text string.

number_of_times (required): This specifies the

number of times the text string should be repeated. It can
be a numeric value, a cell reference that contains a
numeric value, or a formula that returns a numeric value.

Example:
Suppose we have a list of fruit and the numbers sold. Here is what
the data looks like:

We want to use the REPT function to display a visual representation

of the quantity sold of each item in the Bars column, using asterisks
(*) as the symbol. Here are the steps to use the REPT function to do
this:

Step 1: In cell C2, enter the formula “=REPT("*",B2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The first argument is the text string to be repeated. In this

case, it is an asterisk symbol enclosed in double quotation
marks: "*".

The second argument is the number of times the text

string should be repeated. In this case, it is the value in
cell B2, which contains the quantity of Apples: 5.
 The formula is telling Excel to repeat the asterisk symbol 5
times, which results in a string of 5 asterisks in the Bars
column next to the Apples row.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the formula.

Step 3: Copy the formula to the rest of the cells in column C. Here
we can see the number of asterisks for each item based on the
number sold.

To Summarise
The REPT function in Excel is a powerful tool that can be used to
repeat a text string a specified number of times. By using this
function, you can display a visual representation of data in your
worksheet using any symbol or text string of your choice. The
example provided above shows how to use the REPT function to
display the quantity of different fruits sold as a string of asterisks,
making it easy to quickly compare the quantity of each item at a
glance. Whether you're working with large or small datasets, the
REPT function is a useful tool to have in your Excel toolkit.

EXACT Function

What is it?
The Excel EXACT function is a text function that compares two text
strings and returns a Boolean value of TRUE or FALSE, depending
on whether the strings are exactly the same or not. It is case-
sensitive, meaning that uppercase and lowercase letters are treated
as different characters.

Syntax
=EXACT(text1, text2)
Arguments
text1 (required): The first text string to compare.

text2 (required): The second text string to compare.

Example:
Suppose we have a list of fruits in column A and B. Here is what the
data looks like:

We want to check if the text in column A matches exactly with the

text in column B and then enter the results in column C. To do this
we use the Excel EXACT function. Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: In cell C2, enter the formula “=EXACT(A2,B2)”.

This is the breakdown of the formula:

Cell A2 is the text1 argument and the first text we want to
compare.

Cell B2 is the text2 argument and the text we want to

compare against text1, i.e. cell A2.

This formula will compare the text in cells A2 and B2 and

return either TRUE or FALSE, depending on whether they
match exactly.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the formula. The result in cell C2

should be FALSE, because the text in cell A2 and B2 are not exactly
the same. The EXACT function is case-sensitive, so even though the
text is the same, the capitalisation is different.
Step 3: Copy the formula to the rest of the cells in column C to
compare the remaining text in column A against the text in column
B.

To Summarise
The Excel EXACT function is a powerful tool that allows users to
compare two strings of text and determine whether they are exactly
the same or not. This function is particularly useful for tasks such as
data validation, error checking, and text formatting. By following the
step-by-step instructions provided in this example, users can easily
incorporate the EXACT function into their Excel spreadsheets to
enhance their data analysis capabilities.
 Date and Time Functions
Excel provides several built-in functions for working with dates and
times. They are useful because they allow you to work with date and
time values in a variety of ways, making it easier to analyse and
manipulate data. In this chapter, we will explore the most commonly
used date and time functions to save you time and effort when
performing calculations or analyses.

DATE Function

What is it?
The Excel DATE function is a built-in function that returns the serial
number of a date based on the specified year, month, and day. It is
commonly used to perform calculations with dates. This number can
be formatted as a date using the cell formatting options in Excel.

Syntax
=DATE(year, month, day)

Arguments
year (required): Specifies the year of the date. It can be a
number or a reference to a cell that contains a number.
The year argument should be in the range of 1900 to 9999.

month (required): Specifies the month of the date. It can

be a number or a reference to a cell that contains a
number. The month argument should be in the range of 1
to 12.

day (required): Specifies the day of the date. It can be a

number or a reference to a cell that contains a number.
 The day argument should be in the range of 1 to 31,
depending on the month and year.

Example:
Let's say that you have a dataset that includes information about
different dates and you want to use Excel's DATE function to
combine the information into a single date value. For example, let's
assume that you have the following information:

To use the DATE function to combine this information into a single

date value and enter the result in cell D2, you would follow these
steps:

Step 1: In cell D2, enter the formula “=DATE(A2,B2,C2)”.

Here's a breakdown of how the formula works:

The first argument of the DATE function is the year. In

this example, the year argument is entered as A2, which
means that the year value is taken from cell A2 in the
worksheet. In this case, the year value is 2022.
 The second argument of the DATE function is the month.
In the example, the month argument is entered as B2,
which means that the month value is taken from cell B2 in
the worksheet. In this case, the month value is 2, which
represents February.

The third argument of the DATE function is the day. In

the example, the day argument is entered as C2, which
means that the day value is taken from cell C2 in the
worksheet. In this case, the day value is 15.

The DATE function then combines the year, month, and

day values to create a new date value.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the formula. Excel will display the
combined date value in the cell that you entered the formula into,
which in this case is 15/02/2022.
Step 3: If you want to format the date value you can do so in the
Format Cells dialog box. To do this select the cell with the date
value (in this example, cell D2) and then open the Format Cells
dialog box by right-clicking the mouse and selecting Format Cells.
Select the Number tab and then Date in the left hand side pane and
choose the date format you require under Type.

To Summarise
The Excel DATE function is a useful tool for combining separate
year, month, and day information into a single date value. By
following the steps outlined above, you can easily use this function to
create a new date value in your Excel worksheets. With the ability to
format the date value to suit your needs, the DATE function is a
versatile tool that can be used in a wide range of Excel applications.
Whether you're using it to track project deadlines, schedule
appointments, or analyse data over time, the Excel DATE function is
a valuable resource that can help you save time and work more
efficiently in your Excel workbooks.

DAY Function

What is it?
The Excel DAY function is a built-in function that is used to extract
the day of the month from a given date. It returns an integer value
between 1 and 31, depending on the day of the month.

Syntax
=DAY(serial_number)

Arguments
serial_number (required): This argument represents
the date whose day you want to extract. It can be entered
as a serial number that Excel recognises as a date (e.g.,
 44219 for 1/1/2021). As a reference to a cell that contains
a date or as a formula that returns a valid date.

Example:
Suppose you have a list of dates in column A, and you want to extract
the day value from each date and display it in column B.

To do this we use the Excel DAY function. Here are the steps to do
this:
Step 1: In cell B2, enter the formula “=DAY(A2)”.

This is how the formula works:

The serial_number argument is cell A2.

This formula will extract the day value from cell A2 and
display it in cell B2.

Step 2: Press Enter and the formula result will be displayed in cell
B2.
Step 3: Now, copy the formula to the rest of the cells in column B.
You should now have the day value extracted from each date in
column A, displayed in column B.

Below are some points you need to note:

If the serial_number argument is not a valid date, the

DAY function will return the #VALUE! error.

If the serial_number argument refers to a cell that is

empty, the DAY function will return 0.

If the serial_number argument refers to a date that is

before January 1, 1900, the DAY function will return the
#VALUE! error.

If the serial_number argument refers to a date that is after

December 31, 9999, the DAY function will return the
#VALUE! error.

To Summarise
The Excel DAY function is a useful tool for extracting the day value
from a date. By using this function, you can quickly and easily extract
the day value from a date and use it in other calculations or analyses.
In this example, we demonstrated how to use the Excel DAY function
step-by-step to extract the day value from a list of dates and display
them in a separate column. With this knowledge, you can now use
the Excel DAY function to extract the day value from dates in your
own spreadsheets.

DAYS Function

What is it?
The Excel DAYS function is a built-in date and time function used to
calculate the number of days between two dates. This function
returns the number of days between two dates based on a 365-day
year, with 12 months of varying days.

Syntax
=DAYS(end_date, start_date)

Arguments
end_date (required): This is the end date for which you
want to calculate the number of days. It must be a valid
Excel serial number or a reference to a cell containing a
date.

start_date (required): This is the start date from which

you want to calculate the number of days. It must be a
valid Excel serial number or a reference to a cell
containing a date.

Example:
Suppose you want to calculate the number of days between two dates
as shown below and enter the result in cell C2.

Here are the steps to do this using the DAYS function:

Step 1: In cell C2, enter the formula “=DAYS(B2,A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The function subtracts the start date in cell A2 from the

end date in cell B2 to determine the difference between
the two dates.

The result of the subtraction is the number of days

between the two dates, which is then returned as the
result of the function.

Step 2: Press Enter and the result will appear in cell C2. The result
should be 72 days, which is the number of days between January 1,
2023, and March 14, 2023.
To Summarise
The DAYS function in Excel is a useful tool for calculating the
number of days between two dates. By following the simple steps of
entering the start and end dates into cells, and then using the DAYS
function, Excel can quickly and easily calculate the number of days in
between. This can be especially helpful for tracking durations of
projects, calculating interest, or creating schedules.

DAYS360 Function

What is it?
The DAYS360 function in Excel is a date and time function that
calculates the number of days between two dates based on a 360-day
year, where each month has 30 days. This function is commonly used
in financial calculations such as interest accruals and amortisation
schedules.

Syntax
=DAYS360(start_date, end_date,[method])

Arguments
start_date (required): This is the starting date of the
period for which the days are being calculated.

end_date (required): This is the ending date of the

period for which the days are being calculated.

method: (optional) This argument specifies the method

used to calculate the days between the two dates. It can be
one of the following values:

If omitted or set to 0, the US (NASD) method is

used. This method counts the number of days
 between the start date and the end date, and then
adjusts the result to exclude any partial periods that
fall outside of the month.

If set to 1, the European method is used. This

method counts the number of days between the start
date and the end date, and then assumes that each
month has 30 days.

If set to 2, the Actual method is used. This method

calculates the actual number of days between the
start date and the end date, without making any
adjustments for partial periods.

Example:
Let's say we have two dates and we want to calculate the number of
days between them using the 360-day year method and enter the
result in cell C2.

Here are the steps to do this using the DAYS360 function:

Step 1: In cell C2, enter the formula “=DAYS360(A2,B2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The start date is 01/01/2023 and the end date is

14/03/2023.

Since we're using the 360-day year method, each month is

assumed to have 30 days. Therefore, January has 30 days,
February has 30 days and March has 14 days.

The DAYS360 function counts the number of days

between the start date and the end date, assuming that
each month has 30 days.

Step 2: Press Enter. The result should appear in cell C2, which is
the number of days between the start and end dates using the 360-
day year method which is 73.

Note: The DAYS360 function does not take into account leap years
and assumes that each year has 360 days, which is not accurate.
Therefore, this function is not recommended for general-purpose
date calculations.

To Summarise
The Excel DAYS360 function is a useful tool for calculating the
number of days between two dates using a 360-day year method,
which is commonly used in financial calculations. By assuming that
each year has 360 days and each month has 30 days, the function
allows you to quickly and easily calculate the number of days
between two dates, making it useful for a variety of financial
applications. Understanding how the function works can help you to
accurately calculate interest accruals, amortisations, and other
financial metrics in Excel.

MONTH Function
What is it?
The Excel MONTH function returns the month portion of a date, as
an integer value ranging from 1 (January) to 12 (December).

Syntax
=MONTH(serial_number)

Arguments
serial_number (required): This argument represents
the date whose month you want to extract. It can be
entered as a serial number that Excel recognises as a date
(e.g., 44946 for 20/1/2023). As a reference to a cell that
contains a date or as a formula that returns a valid date.

Example:
Suppose you have a list of dates in column A, and you want to extract
the month value from each date and display it in column B. Here is
what the data looks like:
To do this we use the Excel MONTH function. Here are the steps to
do this:
Step 1: In cell B2, enter the formula “=MONTH(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

Excel first converts the date value in cell A2 into a serial

number that represents the number of days since January
1, 1900 (or January 1, 1904, if you're using the Mac
version of Excel).

It then uses this serial number to determine the month of

the year and returns the month as a number.

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the formula to cell B2. The result
should be the number 1, which corresponds to the month of January.
Step 3: Copy the formula down to the rest of the cells in column B.
The resulting data in the column should now display the month
number for each date in column A.

Below are some points you need to note regarding the MONTH Excel
function:

If the serial_number argument is not a valid date, the

MONTH function will return the #VALUE! error.

If the serial_number argument refers to a cell that is

empty, the MONTH function will return 1.

If the serial_number argument refers to a date that is

before January 1, 1900, the MONTH function will return
the #VALUE! error.

If the serial_number argument refers to a date that is after

December 31, 9999, the MONTH function will return the
#VALUE! error.
To Summarise
The Excel MONTH function is a powerful tool that allows users to
extract the month from a date. By following the simple steps outlined
above, users can easily apply this function to their data and quickly
obtain the desired results. Whether you are working with financial
data, project timelines, or simply need to keep track of important
dates, the Excel MONTH function can help you save time and
improve your productivity.

YEAR Function

What is it?
The Excel YEAR function is a built-in function that extracts the year
from a given date and returns it as a four-digit integer. It is useful
when you need to work with the year component of a date separately
from the rest of the date.

Syntax
=YEAR(serial_number)

Arguments
serial_number (required): This is the date from which
you want to extract the year. It can be entered as a serial
number that Excel recognises as a date (e.g., 44946 for
20/1/2023). As a reference to a cell that contains a date or
as a formula that returns a valid date.

Example:
Suppose you have a list of dates in column A, and you want to extract
the year value from each date and display it in column B. This is what
the data looks like:
To do this we use the Excel YEAR function. Here are the steps to do
this:
Step 1: In cell B2, enter the formula “=YEAR(A2)”.

This is how the formula works:

The YEAR function takes the date value from the

serial_number argument, which is cell A2.

It then extracts the year component, and returns it as a

four-digit integer.

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the formula to cell B2. The result
should be the number 2019, which corresponds to the year of the
date in cell A2.
Step 3: Copy the formula down to the rest of the cells in column B.
The resulting data in the column should now display the year for
each date in column A.

Like with the Excel DAY and MONTH functions, the YEAR function
also has some limitations:

If the serial_number argument is not a valid date, the

YEAR function will return the #VALUE! error.

If the serial_number argument refers to a cell that is

empty, the YEAR function will return 1900.

If the serial_number argument refers to a date that is

before January 1, 1900, the YEAR function will return the
#VALUE! error.

If the serial_number argument refers to a date that is after

December 31, 9999, the YEAR function will return the
 #VALUE! error.

To Summarise
The Excel YEAR function is a powerful tool that allows you to extract
the year component of a given date quickly and easily. By providing a
valid date input in the serial_number argument, the function
extracts the year component of the date and returns it as a four-digit
integer. The YEAR function is particularly useful when you need to
work with the year component of a date separately from the rest of
the date. Overall, the YEAR function is a valuable function in Excel
that can save you time and effort when working with dates and
analysing data.

DATEVALUE Function

What is it?
The Excel DATEVALUE function is a built-in function that converts a
date in text format to a serial number representing the date in
Microsoft Excel. This is useful when you have dates in text format
and you need to perform calculations or formatting based on the
actual date values.

Syntax
=DATEVALUE(date_text)

Arguments
date_text (required): This is the text string that
represents the date you want to convert. It can be entered
as a string enclosed in quotation marks (" "), a reference to
a cell containing the text string, or a formula that returns a
text string. The date_text argument must be in a format
that Excel recognises as a valid date, such as "31/12/2022"
or "31-Dec-2022".
Example:
Here we have a list of dates in column A which are in text format.

We need to convert each date represented as text into a serial

number that Excel recognises as a date and place it in column B.
Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: In cell B2, enter the formula “=DATEVALUE(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

Cell A2 is the date_text argument which we want to

convert to a date serial number Excel recognises.
 The formula tells Excel to convert the text in cell A2 to a
serial number that represents the date.

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the formula to cell B2. Excel will
display the serial number for the date in cell B2, which should be
44489.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the rest of the cells in the column.
The resulting data in column B should now contain the values for
each date in column A.

To Summarise
The DATEVALUE function is useful because it allows you to convert
dates that are represented as text into a format that Excel can
recognise as a date. This can be helpful when you are working with
data that has been imported from another source or entered
manually as text. Once you have converted the text to a serial
number using the DATEVALUE function, you can perform various
calculations and analysis on the dates, such as finding the difference
between two dates, calculating the number of days between two
dates, or determining the day of the week that a date falls on.

In addition, formatting the dates as a recognisable date format

makes it easier to read and understand the data, as well as to use
functions that rely on date calculations, such as the DAYS, MONTHS,
YEAR, DATE functions. Overall, the DATEVALUE function helps
you work with dates in Excel more efficiently and accurately by
allowing you to convert dates that are represented as text into a
format that Excel can understand and use.

DATEDIF Function

What is it?
The Excel DATEDIF function is a date function used to calculate the
difference between two dates in years, months, or days. The function
is particularly useful when you need to calculate the duration
between two events, such as the number of days between a project's
start and end dates.

Syntax
=DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, unit)

Arguments
start_date (required): The starting date of the period
you want to calculate the difference for. This argument
can be entered as a reference to a cell containing a date, or
it can be entered as a date entered directly in the formula
using double quotes, e.g. "2023-01-01".

end_date (required): The ending date of the period you

want to calculate the difference for. This argument follows
the same rules as the start_date argument.

unit (required): Specifies the unit of time to use for the

calculation. This argument should be entered as a text
string enclosed in double quotes, and can be one of the
following: "Y" (years), "M" (months), or "D" (days).
Example:
Suppose we have two dates, a start date and an end date for a project.
Here is what the data looks like:

We need to identify the difference in days, months and years

between the two dates and place the difference in days in column D,
the difference in months in column E and the difference in years in
column F. Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: In cell D2, enter the formula “=DATEDIF(A2,B2,"d")” to

work out the difference between the two dates in days.

Here is how the formula works:

Cell A2 is the cell reference to the start date.

Cell B2 is the cell reference to the end date.

"d" is the unit argument, indicating that we want to

calculate the difference between the two dates in days.
 So, in the example, Excel is taking the two dates in cells A2
and B2 and subtracting the start date from the end date to
determine the number of days in between.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result in cell D2.

Step 3: In cell E2, enter the formula “=DATEDIF(A2,B2,"m")” to

work out the difference between the two dates in months. This
formula works in the same way as the formula in cell D2. Excel is
taking the two dates in cells A2 and B2 and subtracts the start date
from the end date to determine the number of months in between.

Step 4: Press Enter to calculate the result in cell E2.

Step 5: In cell F2, enter the formula “=DATEDIF(A2,B2,"y")”.

This time we are just changing the unit argument to a “y” to work out
the difference between the two dates in years.

Step 6: Now, press Enter to calculate the result in cell F2.

Note: The DATEDIF function is a "hidden" function in Excel, which
means that it is not documented in the Excel help files, and is not
displayed in the Insert Function dialog box. It's important to note
that the DATEDIF function is somewhat quirky and can sometimes
return unexpected results. For example, it doesn't handle negative
dates or fractional years very well. However, for most simple date
calculations, the DATEDIF function is a useful tool in Excel.

To Summarise
Overall, the DATEDIF function in Excel is a useful tool for
calculating the difference between two dates in various units of time
such as days, months, and years. By using the DATEDIF function,
Excel takes the two input dates and subtracts the start date from the
end date to determine the difference between them in the specified
unit. Although the DATEDIF function has some quirks and
limitations, it can be a helpful function for most simple date
calculations in Excel.

EDATE Function

What is it?
The Excel EDATE function is a built-in date and time function that
allows you to add or subtract a specified number of months from a
given date.

Syntax
=EDATE(start_date, months)

Arguments
start_date (required): The starting date from which the
function will calculate the result. This argument must be a
valid Excel date or a reference to a cell that contains a
date.
 months (required): The number of months you want to
add or subtract from the start_date. This argument must
be a positive or negative integer or a reference to a cell
that contains a positive or negative integer. A positive
value for the months argument will add the specified
number of months to the start_date, while a negative
value will subtract the specified number of months from
the start_date.

Example:
Suppose you have a list of dates in column A, and you want to add 3
months to these dates and display the results in column B. This is
what the data looks like:

Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: In cell B2, enter the formula “=EDATE(A2,3)”.

Here is a breakdown of the formula:

The first argument (A2) specifies the start date.

The second argument (3) specifies the number of months

to add to the start date.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the formula in cell B2. The formula
should now display the date that is 3 months after the start date,
which in this case is 05/09/2022.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the rest of the cells in column B.
The dates should be 3 months after the dates in column A.
To subtract the months from the start date, then simply add a minus
before the number in the months argument.

Here, the formula in column B is “=EDATE(A2,-3)”. As you can

see, 3 months have been subtracted from the dates in column A.

To Summarise
As you have seen, the EDATE function is a useful tool for calculating
dates that are a specified number of months before or after a given
date. With this function, Excel users can save time and effort by
automating date calculations and avoiding the need for manual
calculations. By following the steps outlined in the examples above,
users can easily use the EDATE function to calculate the desired
date.

NETWORKDAYS Function

What is it?
The Excel NETWORKDAYS function is a built-in function that
calculates the number of working days between two given dates,
excluding weekends and holidays. It returns a numerical value that
represents the number of working days between the start and end
dates.
Syntax
=NETWORKDAYS(start_date, end_date, [holidays])

Arguments
start_date (required): This is the starting date of the
time period you want to consider.

end_date (required): This is the end date of the time

period you want to consider.

holidays (optional): This is an optional argument that

allows you to specify a range of cells that contain a list of
holidays that should be excluded from the calculation.
Holidays can also be entered as individual dates separated
by commas or semicolons.

Example:
Suppose you have a list of start dates in column A and end dates in
column B. This is what the data looks like:

You want to calculate the number of working days between the start
and end dates (excluding weekends) and enter the results in column
C. Here are the steps to do this:
Step 1: In cell C2, enter the formula
“=NETWORKDAYS(A2,B2)”.

Here is a breakdown of the formula:

Cell A2 is used as the start_date argument.

Cell B2 is used as the end_date argument.

The formula takes the start date in cell A2 and the end
date in cell B2 and calculates the number of working days
between them.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result in cell C2. In this

example, the result should be 20 (excluding weekends).

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the remaining rows of the

Working Days column to calculate the number of working days for
each row.

Note: Weekends are automatically excluded from the calculation,

based on your default settings for the work week. By default,
weekends in Excel are considered to be Saturdays and Sundays, but
you can customise this setting to include or exclude other days of the
week.

To Summarise
The NETWORKDAYS function in Excel is a useful tool for calculating
the number of working days between two dates. By using this
function, you can easily exclude weekends and holidays to get an
accurate count of the number of days that employees have worked or
will work. Understanding how to use this function is particularly
important for business and financial analysts who need to calculate
the number of working days for a variety of purposes such as project
timelines, payroll calculations, and performance metrics.

EOMONTH Function

What is it?
The Excel EOMONTH function returns the last day of the month that
is a specified number of months before or after a given date.
"EOMONTH" stands for "End Of MONTH."

Syntax
=EOMONTH(start_date, months)

Arguments
start_date (required): This is the date for which you
want to calculate the end of the month. This argument
 must be a valid Excel date or a reference to a cell that
contains a date.

months (required): This is the number of months before

or after the start_date for which you want to calculate the
end of the month. This argument must be a whole
number. A positive value will return a date in the future,
while a negative value will return a date in the past.

Example:
Suppose you have a list of dates in column A, and you want to find
the last day of the month for each date in column B. This is the
sample data:

Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: In cell B2, enter the formula “=EOMONTH(A2,0)”.

Here is a breakdown of how the formula works:

Cell A2 is the starting date for which we want to find the

last day of the month.

The second argument, 0, means that we want to find the

last day of the same month as the start_date.

So, the EOMONTH function will return the last day of the
month for the date in cell A2.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result in cell B2. In this

example, the result should be 31/01/2022.
Step 3: Copy the formula down to the remaining rows of the column
to calculate the last day of the month for each of the dates in column
A.

Note: To return the last day of the month in the past from the start
date, simply add a minus before the number in the months
argument.

To Summarise
The EOMONTH function in Excel is a powerful tool that can help
you easily calculate the last day of the month for a given date. By
using this function, you can save time and effort that would
otherwise be spent manually finding the last day of the month. This
function is particularly useful for financial and accounting
applications where end-of-month calculations are frequently needed.

TIME Function

What is it?
The Excel TIME function is used to create a time value from
individual hour, minute, and second components. It takes in the
individual hour, minute, and second components as arguments and
returns the corresponding time value.
Syntax
=TIME(hour, minute, second)

Arguments
hour (required): This argument specifies the hour
component of the time. The value must be an integer
between 0 and 23, or a decimal value that represents a
fraction of a 24-hour day.

minute (required): This argument specifies the minute

component of the time. The value must be an integer
between 0 and 59, or a decimal value that represents a
fraction of an hour.

second (required): This argument specifies the second

component of the time. The value must be an integer
between 0 and 59, or a decimal value that represents a
fraction of a minute.

Example:
Here we have values as hours, minutes and seconds in column B.
We want to create a time value from the individual hour, minute, and
second components and display it in cell B5. Here are the steps to do
this:

Step 1: In cell B5, enter the formula “=TIME(B1,B2,B3)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The arguments B1, B2, and B3 are used to specify the

hour, minute, and second components of the time value.

The TIME function then combines these values to create

the time value.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the formula. Cell C5 will display the
time value in the default time format.

If you want to change the format of the time value, you can do so by
selecting cell B5 and using the Format Cells dialog box. For
example, you could format the time value as "h:mm:ss AM/PM”.

Note: If any of the arguments are provided as decimal values, they

will be converted to the appropriate integer value based on the
decimal value. For example, a decimal value of 0.5 will be converted
to 30 minutes.

To Summarise
The Excel TIME function is a useful tool for creating time values
from individual hour, minute, and second components. The function
takes in the individual components as arguments and returns the
corresponding time value. The TIME function can be especially
useful when working with time-based data and calculations in Excel,
allowing you to combine separate hour, minute, and second values
into a single time value. By understanding the syntax and arguments
of the TIME function, you can harness the full power of Excel's time-
based functionality in your data analysis and calculations.

TIMEVALUE Function

What is it?
The Excel TIMEVALUE function is a built-in function that converts a
time string into a decimal number that represents the fraction of a
day. This function is useful for converting text representations of
time into a numerical format that can be used in calculations.

Syntax
=TIMEVALUE(time_text)

Arguments
time_text (required): The text string that represents the
time you want to convert. The text string must be in a
format that Excel can recognise as a time. The format can
be either 12-hour time or 24-hour time, and it can include
seconds, as well as AM/PM if the time is in 12-hour
format.
Example:
Suppose you have a list of time values in your Excel worksheet in
column A, but they are currently formatted as text. Here is what the
data looks like:

You want to convert them to a time format in column B so that you

can perform calculations on them. You can use the TIMEVALUE
function to do this. Below are the steps:
Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=TIMEVALUE(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The function expects the text value to be in a recognisable

time format, such as "h:mm AM/PM" or "h:mm:ss
AM/PM". If the text value is not in a recognisable time
format, the function will return a #VALUE! error.

When you enter the formula into the cell, Excel evaluates
the formula and returns the serial number that
corresponds to the time value in the referenced cell. Excel
then displays the serial number as a formatted time value,
using your chosen time format.

In this example, Excel will convert the text value to the

serial number that represents 08:00 (which is
0.333333333333333) and display it in cell B2.

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the formula to the cell.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the remaining rows in column B.

The time values in column B should now be displayed in the time
format.
To Summarise
The Excel TIMEVALUE function is a useful tool for converting text
representations of time values into Excel serial numbers that can be
used in calculations and other operations. By understanding how the
function works and how to use it, you can easily convert your time
values to a format that Excel can work with. This can save you time
and effort when working with time data in your Excel worksheets.

HOUR Function

What is it?
The Excel HOUR function is a built-in function used to extract the
hour from a given time value. It returns a whole number
representing the hour portion of the time value, ranging from 0 to
23.

Syntax
=HOUR(serial_number)

Arguments
serial_number (required): This is the time value from
which the hour is to be extracted. It can be entered
directly as a time value (in the format "hh:mm:ss"), or it
can be a reference to a cell containing a time value. The
serial_number argument is mandatory, and it must be a
valid Excel serial number representing a time between
0:00:00 (12:00:00 AM) and 23:59:59 (11:59:59 PM).

Example:
Let's say you have a column of timestamps in Excel that you'd like to
extract the hour from and display it in column B.
Here's how you could use the HOUR function to do that:

Step 1: In cell B2 where you want to display the hour, enter the
formula “=HOUR(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The HOUR function takes the time value in cell A2 as its

argument.

Excel calculates the hour component of the time value in

A2.
 The HOUR function returns the hour as an integer value,
which is then displayed in the adjacent cell.

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the formula to the first cell.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the remaining rows in column B.

To Summarise
The HOUR function in Excel is a useful tool for extracting the hour
component from a time value. It takes a single argument, which is
the time value from which you want to extract the hour, and returns
the hour as an integer value. By using this function, you can easily
extract the hour from a column of timestamps and display the results
in a separate column. This can be particularly helpful for analysing
time-based data, such as monitoring daily or hourly trends.

MINUTE Function

What is it?
The Excel MINUTE function is a built-in function that returns the
minute component of a given time value. The minute component
represents the minute of the hour as an integer value ranging from 0
to 59.

Syntax
=MINUTE(serial_number)

Arguments
serial_number (required): This argument represents
the time value for which you want to extract the minute
component. It can be supplied as either a valid Excel serial
number, a text string representing a time value, or a
reference to a cell containing a time value. If the supplied
value is not a valid time value, the MINUTE function will
return the #VALUE! error.

Example:
Suppose you have a column with times in Excel that you'd like to
extract the minute from and display it in column B. Below is the
sample data:
Here's how you could use the MINUTE function to do that:

Step 1: In cell B2 where you want to display the minute, enter the
formula “=MINUTE(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The MINUTE function takes the time value in cell A2 as its

input and returns the minute value of that time.
 In our example, cell A2 contains the time 9:30 AM. When
we apply the MINUTE function to this time value, the
function extracts the minute value (which is 30), and
returns it as the result.

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the formula cell B2.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the remaining rows in column B

to extract the minutes from the time values.

To Summarise
The MINUTE function takes a time value as its input and returns the
minute value as its output. By applying this function, users can
quickly extract minute values from their time data for use in various
calculations and analysis. The MINUTE function can be used in
conjunction with other Excel functions to perform more complex
operations involving time data. Overall, the MINUTE function is a
powerful tool for anyone who needs to work with time data in Excel.

SECOND Function

What is it?
The Excel SECOND function is a built-in function that returns the
seconds of a given time value. It is useful when you need to extract
the seconds portion of a time or when you want to perform
calculations based on seconds.

Syntax
=SECOND(serial_number)

Arguments
serial_number (required): This argument can be any
valid Excel time format or reference to a cell containing a
time value. The function returns the second value of the
time provided.

Example:
Let's say we have the following data in an Excel spreadsheet:

We want to extract the seconds from the times in column B and

display them in column C. We can do this using the SECOND
function. Here's how:
Step 1: In cell C2 where you want to display the second, enter the
formula “=SECOND(B2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The function takes only one argument, which is the time

value you want to extract the seconds from. In this case,
B2 refers to the time value 10:30:45 AM in the Time
column.

The SECOND function extracts the seconds from the time

value and returns it as a number. In this case, it returns
the value 45 because the time value in B2 is 45 seconds.

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the formula in cell C2. The SECOND
function will return the number of seconds in the time value in cell
B2.
Step 3: Copy the formula from cell C2 to cells C3 and C4. As you can
see, the SECOND function has extracted the seconds from the time
values in column B and displayed them in column C.

To Summarise
The SECOND function takes only one argument, which is the time
value you want to extract the seconds from, and returns the seconds
as a number. The function is useful for performing time-based
calculations and analysis in Excel. By following the step-by-step
instructions provided, users can easily use the SECOND function to
extract seconds from time values in their Excel spreadsheets.

WEEKNUM Function

What is it?
The Excel WEEKNUM function returns the week number of a given
date. The week number indicates the week of the year in which the
date falls. This function is useful in various scenarios, such as project
planning, resource allocation, and reporting.

Syntax
=WEEKNUM(serial_number,[return_type])
Arguments
serial_number (required): The date for which you want
to get the week number. The date can be entered as a
reference to a cell containing a date, a serial number
representing a date, or a text string that can be recognised
as a date by Excel.

return_type (optional): This argument specifies the type

of return value you want. The different return_type
options are:

1 or omitted: The week begins on Sunday and ends

on Saturday. The function returns week numbers
ranging from 1 to 53.

2: The week begins on Monday and ends on Sunday.

The function returns week numbers ranging from 1
to 53.

11: The week begins on Monday and ends on

Sunday. The function returns week numbers
ranging from 1 to 54.

12: The week begins on Tuesday and ends on

Monday. The function returns week numbers
ranging from 1 to 54.

13: The week begins on Wednesday and ends on

Tuesday. The function returns week numbers
ranging from 1 to 54.

14: The week begins on Thursday and ends on

Wednesday. The function returns week numbers
ranging from 1 to 54.

15: The week begins on Friday and ends on

Thursday. The function returns week numbers
ranging from 1 to 54.
 16: The week begins on Saturday and ends on
Friday. The function returns week numbers ranging
from 1 to 54.

Example:
Suppose you have a list of dates in column A and you want to
determine the week number of each date and place it in column B.

To do this, follow these steps:

Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=WEEKNUM(A2)”.

Here is how this formula works:

A2 is the cell reference to the date for which you want to

determine the week number.

The WEEKNUM function takes this date as its argument

and returns the week number of that date based on the
ISO week numbering system. The ISO week numbering
system is a standard used by many countries around the
world.

The result is a number between 1 and 53, depending on

the year and the date provided.

Step 2: Press Enter. The week number for the date in cell A2 should
now appear in cell B2. In this case, it is 51.
Step 3: Copy the formula in cell B2 down to the rest of the cells in
column B. The week numbers are extracted from the dates in column
A.

To Summarise
The Excel WEEKNUM function is a useful tool for determining the
week number of a given date based on the ISO week numbering
system. By following a few simple steps as shown above, you can
easily calculate the week number for each date in your list. This
function can be especially useful for tasks such as project
management or scheduling, where it may be necessary to track the
progress of tasks over a period of weeks. Overall, the WEEKNUM
function is a great example of how Excel can help automate tasks and
save time for users.

WEEKDAY Function

What is it?
The Excel WEEKDAY function returns a number representing the
day of the week (as a serial number) for a given date. By default, the
function considers Sunday as the first day of the week and assigns it
a value of 1, Monday is 2, and so on.

Syntax
=WEEKDAY(serial_number,[return_type])

Arguments
serial_number (required): This is the date for which
you want to find the day of the week. It can be entered as a
reference to a cell that contains a date or as a direct input
of a date value in the form of a serial number or a text
string in a recognised Excel date format.

return_type (optional): This argument specifies the type

of result you want to return from the function. It is an
optional argument and if not provided, the function will
default to returning 1 for Sunday, 2 for Monday, and so
on. There are three options for return_type:

1 or omitted: This is the default option that returns

numbers from 1 to 7, where Sunday is 1 and
Saturday is 7.

2: This option returns numbers from 1 to 7, where

Monday is 1 and Sunday is 7.

3: This option returns numbers from 0 to 6, where

Sunday is 0 and Saturday is 6.

Example:
Suppose we have a list of dates in column A, and we want to
determine which day of the week each date falls on, using the
WEEKDAY function.
To do this, follow these steps to enter the day of the week in column
B:

Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=WEEKDAY(A2)”.

Here is how this formula works:

This formula takes the date value in cell A2 and returns

the corresponding day of the week as a number (1-7) based
on the default return_type value of 1 (Sunday).

The date in cell A2 falls on a Wednesday which is weekday

4 so therefore the formula returns 4.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result.

Step 3: Copy the formula in cell B2 down to the rest of the cells in
column B. The week days are extracted from the dates in column A.
To Summarise
The WEEKDAY function in Excel is a useful tool for calculating the
day of the week for a given date. It returns a numerical value
between 1 and 7, representing the day of the week based on the
specified return_type argument. By using this function, you can
easily analyse data based on the day of the week, such as calculating
weekly trends or organising data by day.

NOW Function

What is it?
The Excel NOW function returns the current date and time, as a
serial value.

Syntax
=NOW()

Arguments
The NOW function does not require any arguments because it
automatically returns the current date and time. The value returned
by this function is updated every time the worksheet is calculated.

Example:
Suppose you have a date in cell A2 like this:

You want to enter the current date and time in cell B2. To do this
follow these steps:
Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=NOW()”.

Here is how the formula works:

The Excel NOW function returns the current date and

time based on the system clock of your computer.

The function returns a serial number that represents the

current date and time in Excel's date/time format.

This serial number is then displayed as a date and time

using a format that you specify in the cell.

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the formula in cell B2. The cell should
now display the current date and time.

Note: The NOW function updates automatically every time the

worksheet is recalculated or opened, so the date and time displayed
in the cell will always be current.

How to Change the Date and Time Format

To display the date and time in a more readable format, you can
apply a date/time format to the cell using the Format Cells dialog
box. For example, you might use the format "dd/mm/yyyy h:mm
AM/PM" to display the date and time as 1/3/2023 20:05 PM.

To do this you:

1. Select the cell you want to format.

2. Right-click the mouse and select "Format Cells".

3. In the Format Cells dialog box, select the "Custom"

category.
 4. In the "Type" field, enter "dd/mm/yyyy h:mm AM/PM".

5. Click "OK".

The date and time will be formatted according to the format you
specified.

To Summarise
The Excel NOW function is a simple but useful tool for displaying the
current date and time in a worksheet. It's a volatile function that
updates automatically every time the worksheet is recalculated, and
it returns the date and time based on the computer's system clock. By
customising the format of the date and time using the Format Cells
dialog box, you can display the information in a way that best suits
your needs. Keep in mind that the accuracy of the NOW function is
dependent on the accuracy of the system clock, so it's important to
ensure that your computer's clock is set correctly.

TODAY Function

What is it?
The Excel TODAY function is a built-in date and time function that
returns the current date (today's date) in a cell. It is a useful function
for tracking dates, calculating intervals, or for automating certain
operations that rely on the current date.

Syntax
=TODAY()

Arguments
The TODAY function does not require any arguments, it only takes
an empty pair of parentheses because it automatically returns the
current day.

Example:
Here we want to enter the current date in cell A2.

We use the TODAY function to do this using these steps:

Step 1: In cell A2 enter the formula “=TODAY()”.

Here is how the formula works:

When you enter the function in a cell, Excel will

automatically calculate and display the current date based
on the computer's system clock.

The date will be updated every time the workbook is

opened or the calculation is refreshed.

Step 2: Press ENTER to see the result, which will be today's date in
the format of dd/mm/yyyy.

Note: As with the NOW function, you can change the formatting of
the date using the Format Cells dialog box.

To Summarise
The TODAY function in Excel is a useful tool for quickly and
accurately obtaining the current date. By using this function, users
can save time and avoid errors that may occur when manually
entering the date. Additionally, the TODAY function can be
combined with other functions to perform calculations based on the
current date. It takes no arguments and is therefore very simple to
use.
 Maths Functions
Excel is a powerful tool for mathematical calculations and analysis. It
includes a range of built-in functions that can help you perform
mathematical calculations with ease. In this chapter, we will discuss
the most common mathematical functions that are used.

ROUND Function

What is it?
The Excel ROUND function is a mathematical function used to
round a given number to a specified number of decimal places. It is
useful in financial modelling and data analysis where the accuracy of
decimal places is crucial. The function rounds numbers to the
nearest even number when the decimal is 5 (also known as bankers'
rounding).

Syntax
=ROUND(number, num_digits)

Arguments
number (required): This is the number that you want to
round. It can be a reference to a cell containing a numeric
value, or a numerical value typed directly into the formula.

num_digits (required): This is the number of digits to

which you want to round the number. If num_digits is
positive, the number is rounded to the right of the decimal
point. If num_digits is negative, the number is rounded to
the left of the decimal point.

Example:
Suppose you have a list of numbers in column A that you want to
round to two decimal places in column B using the ROUND function.

Here are the step-by-step instructions:

Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=ROUND(A2,2)”.

Here is how this formula works:

 The number we want to round is in cell A2 so we use this
cell for the first argument.

The second argument in the formula, 2, specifies that we

want to round the number to two decimal places.

The ROUND function takes the number in cell A2 and

rounds it to the nearest number with two decimal places.
If the number in A2 is exactly halfway between two
numbers with two decimal places (for example, 1.005), the
function rounds to the nearest even number (so 1.005
would be rounded down to 1.00, while 1.015 would be
rounded up to 1.02).

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result. This will round the
number in cell A2 to two decimal places and display the result in cell
B2.

Step 3: Copy the formula in cell B2 down to the rest of the cells in
column B. The numbers all now have two decimal places.

To Summarise
The Excel ROUND function is a powerful tool that allows you to
easily round numbers to a specified number of decimal places. By
providing the number to be rounded and the number of decimal
places as arguments to the ROUND function, you can quickly round
a list of numbers to the desired precision. The ROUND function is
particularly useful when dealing with financial data, where rounding
to a certain number of decimal places is often required. By following
the simple steps outlined in the example above, you can easily round
numbers in Excel and improve the accuracy of your calculations.

ROUNDUP Function

What is it?
The Excel ROUNDUP function is used to round a given number up to
a specified number of digits. It works by rounding a number to a
specified number of digits (the precision argument), and then
rounding up to the next highest value. If the decimal value of the
number is greater than or equal to 0.5, the function rounds up the
number to the next integer value. If the decimal value of the number
is less than 0.5, the function leaves the number as it is.

Syntax
=ROUNDUP(number, num_digits)

Arguments
number (required): This is the number you want to
round up. It can be a cell reference, a named range, or a
constant value.

num_digits (required): This argument specifies the

number of decimal places to which you want to round up
the number. It must be an integer value, which can be
positive or negative.

Example:
Suppose you have the following data in cells A2 through A6:
We want to round each of these numbers up to the nearest integer
and display them in column B. Here's how you can do this using the
ROUNDUP function:

Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=ROUNDUP(A2,0)”.

Here is a breakdown of the formula:

 The number argument takes the number you want to
round up, in this case cell A2.

The num_digits argument tells you the number of digits to

which you want to round up. In our case, we want to
round up each number to the nearest integer, so we use 0
as the value for num_digits.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result. The result should be 3,

because 2.3 rounded up to the nearest integer is 3.

Step 3: Copy the formula in cell B2 to the remaining cells in column

B. Cells B2 through B6 should now contain the rounded-up values of
the numbers in cells A2 through A6.

To Summarise
The ROUNDUP function in Excel is a useful tool for rounding
numbers up to a specified number of digits. It works by taking a
number and rounding it up to the next integer, based on the
specified number of digits. By using this function, you can easily
round up numbers in your Excel spreadsheets without having to
manually adjust them.
ROUNDDOWN Function

What is it?
The Excel ROUNDDOWN function is used to round down a given
number to a specified number of decimal places. It is a mathematical
function that is commonly used in financial and accounting
applications.

Syntax
=ROUNDDOWN(number, num_digits)

Arguments
number (required): This is the number that you want to
round down. It can be a cell reference, a formula, or a
constant value.

num_digits (required): This is the number of digits to

which you want to round down the number. It can be a
positive or negative integer. If you enter a positive integer,
the function will round the number down to that many
decimal places. If you enter a negative integer, the
function will round the number down to the left of the
decimal point.

Example:
Suppose we have a list of numbers in column A and we want to
round down all the numbers to the nearest integer value and display
them in column B.
Here's how you can use the ROUNDDOWN function to achieve this:

Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=ROUNDDOWN(A2,0)”.

Here is how this formula works:

Cell A2 is the cell reference of the number we want to

round down.
 0 is the number of decimal places we want to round down
to.

The ROUNDDOWN function simply takes the number in

the specified cell reference and rounds it down to the
nearest integer value. In the example, the formula rounds
down the number in cell A2 to the nearest integer which is
3.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result.

Step 3: Copy the formula in cell B2 to the remaining cells in column

B. As you can see, the ROUNDDOWN function has rounded down
each number in the column to the nearest integer.

Note: It's worth noting that the ROUNDDOWN function always

rounds down to the nearest specified number of digits, regardless of
whether the decimal portion of the number is greater than or equal
to 0.5. So, for example, if we had a number like 3.9 and we wanted to
round down to the nearest integer, the ROUNDDOWN function
would return 3, not 4.

To Summarise
The ROUNDDOWN function in Excel is a useful tool for rounding
numbers down to a specified number of digits. By specifying the
number of decimal places to round down to, you can quickly and
easily round down numbers in a given column or cell reference. The
function always rounds down to the nearest specified number of
digits, regardless of whether the decimal portion of the number is
greater than or equal to 0.5. The ROUNDDOWN function is just one
of many mathematical functions available in Excel, and can be
combined with other functions and formulas to perform complex
calculations and data analysis tasks.

SUM Function

What is it?
The Excel SUM function is a built-in mathematical function that is
used to add up a range of numbers in a given spreadsheet. It is one of
the most commonly used functions in Excel and is useful for
calculating totals and subtotals.

Syntax
=SUM(number1,[number2],...)

Arguments
number1 (required): This argument represents the first
number or range of cells that you want to add up. You can
enter a single value or a range of cells separated by
commas or semi-colons.

number2 (required): This argument represents

additional numbers or ranges that you want to add up.
You can include up to 255 additional arguments separated
by commas or semi-colons.
Example:
Let's say we have the following data in an Excel spreadsheet:

We want to find the total quantity of items in our list and enter the
total in cell B6. Here's how you can do this using the SUM function:

Step 1: In cell B6 enter the formula “=SUM(B2:B5)”.

This is how the formula works:

The range B2:B5 is used as the number1 argument.

This tells Excel to add up the values in cells B2 through to

B5 and return the result in the cell where you entered the
formula.

Step 2: Press Enter. The result, 18, will appear in cell B6.

Note: You can also use the SUM function with a range of cells that
aren't next to each other. For example, you could use
=SUM(B2,B4,B5) to add up the values in cells B2, B4, and B5, but
not in cell B3.

To Summarise
The SUM function in Excel is a simple and powerful tool for adding
up ranges of numbers in a spreadsheet. Whether you need to add up
a few cells or a large range of data, the SUM function can make the
process quick and easy. By understanding how the formula works
and following the steps outlined in the above example, you should be
able to use the SUM function to add up data in your own Excel
spreadsheets.

SUMIF Function

What is it?
The Excel SUMIF function is used to sum a range of values that meet
a specific criterion or condition. This function is useful when you
want to add up only the values that meet a certain criteria in a range
of data.

Syntax
=SUMIF(range, criteria, [sum_range])

Arguments
range (required): The range of cells that you want to
apply the criteria against.

criteria (required): The condition that you want to test in

the range. It can be a number, text, cell reference, or a
logical expression such as ">100", "<=500". If you use a
cell reference as the criteria, the function tests the value in
that cell against the range.

sum_range: (optional) The range of cells that you want

to sum. If this argument is omitted, the function will sum
the values in the range.

Example:
Suppose you have a table of sales data for a store, and you want to
calculate the total sales for a particular product, let’s say Apples. We
want to enter the sales of Apples in cell E2.

Here's how you can use the SUMIF function to do this:

Step 1: In cell E2 enter the formula
“=SUMIF(A2:A8,D2,B2:B8)”.

Here's a breakdown of the formula:

A2:A8: This is the range of cells that’s in the Product

column. It is the range where we want to check the
criteria.

D2: This is the criteria we're using to filter the data. It is

the value that we want to sum. The function will look for
this value in the range A2:A8.

B2:B8: This is the range of cells in the Sales column. It is

the range of values that we want to sum, but only for the
rows that match the criteria.

So, the SUMIF function checks each cell in the range

A2:A8 to see if it contains the value Apples. If a cell
matches the criteria, the function adds the corresponding
value in the same row in the range B2:B8 to the total. If a
cell does not match the criteria, the corresponding value in
the range B2:B8 is not added to the total.
Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the formula. You should see the
result 45 in cell E2, which is the total sales for Apples.

To Summarise
The SUMIF function in Excel is a powerful tool that allows you to
calculate the sum of values based on a specified criteria or condition.
It is particularly useful when you need to analyse large datasets or
filter data based on specific criteria. By following the steps outlined
in the example, you can easily use the SUMIF function in your own
spreadsheets to perform calculations and analyse data.
Understanding how the function works and the syntax involved can
help you to make the most of this tool and improve your productivity
in Excel.

SUMIFS Function

What is it?
The Excel SUMIFS function is a mathematical function that allows
you to sum values that meet multiple criteria. It is useful when you
need to add up values based on several conditions that must be met
simultaneously.

Syntax
=SUMIFS(sum_range, criteria_range1, criteria1, [criteria_range2,
criteria2], ...)

Arguments
sum_range (required): The range of cells that you want
to sum.

criteria_range1 (required): The first range of cells that

you want to use as criteria.
 criteria1 (required): The first condition that you want to
apply to the criteria_range1.

criteria_range2, criteria2, criteria_range3,

criteria3 (optional): These are optional arguments that
allow you to specify additional criteria ranges and criteria.
You can specify up to 127 pairs of criteria ranges and
criteria.

Example:
Let's say you have a table of sales data for different products in
different regions. The table has columns for Product, Region, and
Sales, like this:

You want to find the total sales for Product A in the East region and
enter the result in cell F3. Here's how you can use the SUMIFS
function to do that:
Step 1: In cell F3 enter the formula
“=SUMIFS(C2:C8,A2:A8,F1,B2:B8,F2)”.

Here is how this formula works:

C2:C8 is the range of cells containing the sales data.

A2:A8,F1 is the criteria range and criteria. This tells Excel

to only sum the sales for products that match "A" in the
Product column.

B2:B8,F2 is another criteria range and criteria. This tells

Excel to only sum the sales for regions that match "East"
in the Region column.

In our example, the formula tells Excel to look for cells in

the Sales column (C2:C8) that meet the following criteria:

The cells in the Product column (A2:A8) must be

"A".

The cells in the Region column (B2:B8) must be

"East".

Excel then finds the cells that meet these criteria, and
adds their values together to get the result.
Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result. Cells C2 and C8 are
added together, as these are the cells that meet the criteria and
returns the result 175.

To Summarise
The SUMIFS function in Excel is a powerful tool for quickly
summing values in a range that meet multiple criteria. By using the
SUMIFS function, you can easily filter and analyse large data sets
without having to manually search for and add up individual values.
With the step-by-step example provided above, you should now have
a good understanding of how to use the SUMIFS function in your
own Excel worksheets.

SUMPRODUCT Function

What is it?
The Excel SUMPRODUCT function is a powerful math and statistical
function that allows users to multiply corresponding elements in
arrays and then sum the results. It is useful for performing
calculations on datasets that contain multiple variables and can be
used in a variety of applications such as financial analysis, data
analysis, and more.

Syntax
=SUMPRODUCT(array1, [array2], [array3], ...)

Arguments
array1 (required): This is the first array or range of cells
that will be multiplied and summed.

array2 (optional): This is an optional second array or

range of cells that will be multiplied and summed. Users
 can specify up to 255 additional arrays using this
argument.

array3 (optional): This is an optional third array or range

of cells that will be multiplied and summed. Users can
specify up to 255 additional arrays using this argument.

Example:
Let's assume you have the following data in an Excel spreadsheet and
you want to calculate the total revenue:

To calculate the total revenue for each product, you can use the
SUMPRODUCT function, which multiplies corresponding elements
in arrays and returns the sum of those products. We want to return
the total sales in cell B6. Here are the steps to do this:
Step 1: In cell B6 enter the formula
“=SUMPRODUCT(A2:A5,B2:B5)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The function takes two arrays as inputs: the Quantity

(A2:A5) and the Price (B2:B5).

It then multiplies the corresponding values in each array,

and then adds up the products.

For example, the first element in the Quantity array is 5,

and the first element in the Price array is $10.00. The
SUMPRODUCT function multiplies these two values (5 *
$10.00 = $50.00), and then does the same for the
remaining elements. Finally, it adds up all the products to
get the total revenue of $165.00.

Step 2: Press Enter, and the total revenue for all products will be
displayed in cell B6.

To Summarise
The SUMPRODUCT function is a useful tool in Excel for multiplying
corresponding elements in arrays and obtaining their sum. It can be
used for various types of calculations, such as calculating total
revenue or finding the weighted average of a set of values. By using
this function, you can save time and avoid the need for complicated
formulas that involve multiple steps. Overall, understanding how to
use the SUMPRODUCT function can help you work more efficiently
in Excel and get more out of your data.

ABS Function

What is it?
The Excel ABS function is a built-in mathematical function that
returns the absolute value of a number, which is the value of a
number without its sign. This means that if a number is negative, the
ABS function returns the positive value of that number.

Syntax
=ABS(number)

Arguments
number (required): This is the numeric value for which
you want to find the absolute value. If the number is
positive or zero, the ABS function returns the same
number. If the number is negative, the ABS function
returns the positive value of that number. If the argument
is not a numeric value, the ABS function returns a
#VALUE! error.

Example:
Suppose we have a list of numbers in column A and we want to
return the absolute value of these numbers and display them in
column B.
Here's how you can do this using the ABS function:

Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=ABS(A2)”. This formula will

calculate the absolute value of the number in cell B2.

Here is how this formula works:

The ABS function in Excel simply returns the absolute

value of a number. This means that it returns the positive
value of a number, regardless of whether it was originally
negative or positive.
 This formula calculates the absolute value of the number
in cell A2.

So, if the number in cell A2 is negative (as it is in our

example), the ABS formula will return the positive version
of that number. In other words, it will flip the sign of the
number to make it positive.

On the other hand, if the number in cell A2 was positive,

the ABS formula will simply return the same number,
since the absolute value of a positive number is itself.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result.

Step 3: Copy the formula in cell B2 down to cells B3 to B5. Excel will
now calculate the absolute value of each number in column A and
display the results in column B.

To Summarise
The ABS function in Excel is a simple yet powerful tool that can be
used to calculate the absolute value of a number. This function is
particularly useful when dealing with datasets that contain both
positive and negative numbers, as it allows you to easily convert
negative values to their positive counterparts. By using the ABS
function in Excel, you can quickly and easily calculate the absolute
value of a range of numbers, saving you time and reducing the
likelihood of errors.

EVEN Function

What is it?
The Excel EVEN function is a built-in function that is used to round
a given number up to the nearest even integer. The function takes a
numeric value as an input and rounds it up to the nearest even
integer.

Syntax
=EVEN(number)

Arguments
number (required): This is the value or reference to a cell
that you want to round up to the nearest even integer. The
value must be a numeric value. The number can be
entered directly into the function, or it can be a reference
to a cell that contains the number you want to round up.

Example:
Here we have a list of numbers in column A and we want to return
the next nearest even number and display them in column B. Here is
a sample dataset:
Here's how you can do this using the EVEN function:

Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=EVEN(A2)”.

Here is how this formula works:

The EVEN function takes the number that you specify and
checks if it's already an even integer. If it is, it simply
returns that number.

If the number is odd, the function rounds it up to the

nearest even integer. To do this, it adds 1 to the number
 and then rounds it down to the nearest integer. This
effectively rounds the number up to the next even integer.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result. The EVEN function

checks if 13 in cell A2 is already even (which it isn't) and then adds 1
to get 14.

Step 3: Copy the formula in cell B2 down to B5.

To Summarise
The Excel EVEN function is a useful tool for rounding a number up
to the nearest even integer. It works by checking if the number is
already even and returning it if it is. If the number is odd, the
function adds 1 to the number and then rounds it down to the
nearest integer to get the next even number. This function is
particularly helpful when working with sets of data where even
numbers are preferred or required.

MOD Function

What is it?
The Excel MOD function is a mathematical function that calculates
the remainder when one number is divided by another number. The
MOD function is useful in a variety of situations where you need to
perform calculations involving remainders. For example, you can use
it to determine whether a number is even or odd, or to calculate the
number of working days between two dates. It can also be used in
financial calculations, such as calculating the interest on a loan or the
yield on a bond.

Syntax
=MOD(number, divisor)

Arguments
number (required): This is the numeric value that you
want to divide. It can be a number, cell reference, or
formula that evaluates to a number. The number can be
positive, negative, or zero.

divisor (required): This is the numeric value that you

want to divide the number by. It can be a number, cell
reference, or formula that evaluates to a number. The
divisor can be positive, negative, or zero, but it cannot be
equal to zero. If the divisor is zero, the function will return
a #DIV/0! error.

Example:
Suppose you have a list of numbers from 1 to 10 in column A, and
you want to find the remainder when each number is divided by 3
and display the results in column B.
Here's how you can do this using the MOD function:
Step 1: In cell B1 enter the formula “=MOD(A1,3)”.

Here is how the formula works:

Cell A1 is the number we want to divide.

3 is the divisor. This is the number we want to divide cell

A1 by.

The MOD function takes the value in cell A1 (which is 1),

divides it by 3, and returns the remainder.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to the remaining cells in the column.
The results in column B will show the remainder when each number
in column A is divided by 3.

To Summarise
The Excel MOD function is a useful tool for finding the remainder
when one number is divided by another. By using the MOD function,
we can easily perform calculations on large datasets and quickly
determine the remainder for each number in a list. This can be
especially useful in fields like finance, where calculating interest
payments or loan repayments often involves finding the remainder
when a number is divided by a given period. Overall, the MOD
function is a versatile and powerful tool that can help us perform
complex calculations in Excel with ease.

RAND Function

What is it?
The Excel RAND function is a built-in function that generates a
random number between 0 and 1. This function is commonly used in
simulations, games, and other applications that require
randomisation.

Syntax
=RAND()

Arguments
The RAND function has no arguments.

Example:
Suppose you want to create some random numbers between 0 and 1
in the range A1:10. Here is how you can do this using the RAND
function:

Step 1: In cell A1 enter the formula “=RAND()”.

How is how this formula works:

When you enter this formula, Excel will randomly

generate a number between 0 and 1.

The RAND function will generate a new number between

0 and 1 every time the worksheet is recalculated or
opened.

Step 2: Press Enter.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to cell A10. The numbers in column
A should be different each time you recalculate the sheet (either by
pressing F9 or by changing any cell).

Note: Because the RAND function is based on randomisation, the

numbers it generates are unpredictable and will change every time
the worksheet is recalculated. If you need to generate a set of random
numbers that can be reproduced later, you can copy and paste the
values that the RAND function generates as values, rather than as
formulas.

To Summarise
The Excel RAND function is a useful tool for generating random
numbers in a spreadsheet. By following the steps outlined above, you
can easily use this function to generate a set of random numbers in
Excel. The RAND function is useful in a variety of applications,
including statistical analysis, simulations, and modelling. It should
be noted, however, that the RAND function generates new random
numbers each time the sheet is recalculated, so if you need to keep
the same set of numbers, you can copy and paste them as values.

RANDBETWEEN Function

What is it?
The Excel RANDBETWEEN function is a built-in function that
generates a random integer between two specified numbers.

Syntax
=RANDBETWEEN(bottom, top)

Arguments
bottom (required): This is the bottom or minimum value
of the range from which a random number is to be
generated.

top (required): This is the top or maximum value of the

range from which a random number is to be generated.

Example:
Suppose you want to create some random numbers in column C
between the numbers under the Value 1 and Value 2 columns.
Here is how you can do this using the RANDBETWEEN function:
Step 1: In cell C2 enter the formula
“=RANDBETWEEN(A2,B2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

When this formula is entered into cell C2, Excel will

generate a random integer between the values in cells A2
and B2.

The value of the cell will change each time the worksheet
is calculated, which can be triggered by various events
such as entering new data or pressing the F9 key.

Step 2: Press Enter to complete the formula.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to cell C11. Column C should now
display a list of random numbers between the corresponding values
in the Value 1 and Value 2 columns.

Note: The numbers in the Random Number column will change

each time the worksheet is recalculated (e.g. by pressing F9 or
changing a cell value). This is because the RANDBETWEEN function
is designed to generate new random numbers each time it is called.

To Summarise
The RANDBETWEEN function is a useful tool in Excel for
generating random numbers between a specified range. By following
the steps outlined above, you can easily use this function to generate
random numbers for a variety of purposes, such as creating
randomised data sets for statistical analysis or generating lottery
numbers.
Statistical Functions
Statistical Excel functions are a set of built-in functions in Microsoft Excel
that allow you to perform statistical analysis on your data. These functions
enable you to perform various statistical calculations such as average,
standard deviation, variance, correlation, regression analysis, etc.

AVERAGE Function
What is it?

The Excel AVERAGE function is a built-in function that calculates the

average of a range of numbers.

Syntax

=AVERAGE(number1, [number2], ...)

Arguments

number1 (required): The first number or range of numbers that you

want to calculate the average of.

number2 (optional): Represents a second number or range of numbers

that you want to include in the calculation. You can include up to 255
additional numbers or ranges.

Example:

Let's say you have a list of numbers that represent the sales for each month
of the year, and you want to find the average monthly sales. Here is an
example of what the data might look like:
You want to work out the average sales for the year and enter the result in
cell E2. Here's how you can do this using the AVERAGE function:

Step 1: In cell E2 enter the formula “=AVERAGE(B2:B13)”. This formula

will calculate the average of the sales data in cells B2 through B13.

Here is how the formula works:

We want to average the sales data in cells B2 through B13, so we

specify the range as B2:B13 in the argument.

Excel calculates the sum of the numbers in the specified range (B2
through B13) and then divides that sum by the total number of cells in
the range (12 in this case, since we have 12 months of data).

The result is the average monthly sales for the year, which is displayed
in the cell where we entered the formula.

Step 2: Press Enter to complete the formula. The cell should display the
average monthly sales, which in this case is 210. You can also format the
cell to display the result in a particular format, such as a currency or with a
specific number of decimal places, if desired. You can do this using the
Format Cells dialog box.

Note: The AVERAGE function ignores text values, empty cells, and cells
that contain logical values or errors. If all the arguments are non-numeric,
the AVERAGE function returns the #DIV/0! error.

The AVERAGE function can accept different types of arguments,

including:

Individual numbers: For example, =AVERAGE(2, 4, 6) will return the

result of (2 + 4 + 6) / 3, which is 4.

Cell references: For example, =AVERAGE(A1:A5) will calculate the

average of the numbers in cells A1 through A5.
 Named ranges: For example, =AVERAGE(Sales) will calculate the
average of the numbers in the range named "Sales".

Arrays: You can use an array of numbers directly as an argument for

the AVERAGE function. For example, =AVERAGE({1, 2, 3, 4, 5})
will calculate the average of the numbers in the array.

To Summarise

The Excel AVERAGE function is a powerful tool that enables users to

easily calculate the average value of a range of cells in a worksheet. This
function is particularly useful in situations where you need to analyse large
amounts of data quickly and accurately. By using the AVERAGE function,
you can avoid the tedious and time-consuming process of manually
calculating averages, saving time and increasing efficiency. Additionally,
the AVERAGE function is versatile and can be used with a wide range of
arguments, including cell references, ranges, and even other functions. In
summary, the Excel AVERAGE function is a valuable feature that makes
data analysis easier and more efficient.

AVERAGEIF Function
What is it?

The AVERAGEIF function in Excel calculates the average of a range of

values that meet a specified condition. It allows you to specify a criterion or
condition based on which the function will calculate the average of the
corresponding values.

Syntax

=AVERAGEIF(range, criteria, [average_range])

Arguments

range (required): This is the range of cells that you want to evaluate
based on a given condition. It can contain both numbers and text.
 criteria (required): This is the condition that you want to apply to the
range. It can be a number, text, cell reference, or an expression that
evaluates to a number or text. The criteria can also include logical
operators (such as >, <, >=, <=, <>, and =) to make more complex
conditions.

average_range (optional): This specifies the range of cells that you

want to average. If this argument is omitted, the function will average
the values in the range.

Example:

Suppose you have a spreadsheet with the following data:

You want to calculate the average score for Alice and display it in cell E2.
Here's how you can do this using the AVERAGEIF function:

Step 1: In cell E2 enter the formula

“=AVERAGEIF(A2:A7,"Alice",B2:B7)”. This tells Excel to calculate the
average of all the scores in column B where the corresponding name in
column A is Alice.

Here is how the formula works:

The AVERAGEIF function checks each cell in the range A2:A7 to see
if it contains the value Alice. If it does, the corresponding value in the
range B2:B7 is included in the average.

Once all the eligible values have been identified, the function
calculates the average of those values and returns the result.

In this case, the formula will find the scores of the two students named
Alice (90 and 95) and ignore the scores of the other students. It will
then calculate the average of those scores (which is (90+95)/2 = 92.5)
and return the result.
Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result. The average score for Alice
should appear in the selected cell (E2 in this example), which is 92.5.

You can use the AVERAGEIF function to calculate averages for other
names as well, simply by changing the criterion in the cell, in this case cell
D2.

To Summarise

The AVERAGEIF function in Excel is a powerful tool for calculating

averages based on a specific criterion. It allows you to easily filter a range
of data based on a particular condition, such as a name or a value, and then
calculate the average of only the values that meet that condition. By using
the AVERAGEIF function, you can quickly and accurately calculate
averages for specific subsets of your data, which can be extremely useful in
a variety of applications, such as analysing sales data, monitoring student
performance, or evaluating the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
Overall, the AVERAGEIF function is a valuable tool that can help you
make sense of your data and draw meaningful insights from it.

AVERAGEIFS Function
What is it?

The Excel AVERAGEIFS function is a statistical function that calculates

the average of a range of cells based on multiple criteria or conditions. This
function allows you to find the average value of a range of cells that meet
specified criteria or conditions.

Syntax

=AVERAGEIFS(average_range, criteria_range1, criteria1, [criteria_range2,

criteria2], ...)

Arguments
 average_range (required): This is the range of cells that contain the
values to be averaged.

criteria_range1 (required): This is the range of cells that contain the

first set of criteria or conditions to be met.

criteria1 (required): This is the first set of criteria or conditions that

must be met for a cell in the criteria_range1 to be included in the
calculation of the average.

criteria_range2 (optional): This is an additional range of cells that

contain a second set of criteria or conditions to be met.

criteria2 (optional): This is the second set of criteria or conditions that

must be met for a cell in the criteria_range2 to be included in the
calculation of the average. You can include up to 127 additional sets of
criteria ranges and criteria.

Example:

Let's say we have a dataset that contains information about the number of
products sold, the revenue generated, and the region where the sales were
made. We want to calculate the average revenue generated by a certain
region for a certain range of products.

We want to calculate the average revenue generated by the North region for
Product A and enter the result in cell F4. Here is how to do this using the
AVERAGEIFS function:

Step 1: In cell F4 enter the formula

“=AVERAGEIFS(C2:C17,A2:A17,F2,B2:B17,F3)”.

Here is how the formula works:

This formula calculates the average of the Revenue column (C2:C17).

 The Region column (A2:A17) must be North which is referenced in
cell F2.

The Product column (B2:B17) must be Product A which is referenced

in cell F3.

The AVERAGEIFS function then calculates the average of the

revenue data in the range C2:C17 that meets all of the specified
criteria, which in this case is the average revenue generated by the
North region for Product A.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result. The average score for the North
region for Product A should appear in the selected cell F4, which is $450.

Note: The AVERAGEIFS function can take up to 127 criteria ranges and
criteria arguments, making it a very powerful function for analysing data in
Excel.

To Summarise

By specifying different criteria ranges and criteria arguments, the

AVERAGEIFS function allows you to filter your data to include only the
cells that meet specific conditions, and then calculate the average of those
filtered cells. This can be very useful for analysing large datasets and
gaining insights into your data.

COUNT Function
What is it?

The Excel COUNT function is used to count the number of cells that
contain numbers within a given range or array. It does not count blank or
text cells.

Syntax

=COUNT(value1,[value2],...)
Arguments

value1 (required): Represents the first value or range of values that

you want to count. The argument can be entered as a range of cells or
as individual values separated by commas.

value2 (optional): Represents additional values or ranges of values

that you want to count. You can include up to 255 arguments in total.

Example:

Let's say you have a list of students and their grades in a class as shown
below:

You want to find out how many students received a grade, i.e., how many
cells in the Grade column are not blank and then enter the result in cell E2.
Here's how you can use the COUNT function to achieve this:

Step 1: In cell E2 enter the formula “=COUNT(B2:B11)”.

Here's how the formula works:

The range B2:B11 is the argument for the COUNT function, which
tells Excel what cells to count.

Excel scans the range B2:B11 and counts the number of cells that
contain numeric values. In this case, there are 8 cells with numeric
values (i.e., grades).

The COUNT function then returns the result in the selected cell.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result. In this case, the result should be
8 since there are 8 cells in the Grade column that are not blank.
Note: If a cell reference or range contains an error value such as #VALUE!
or #DIV/0!, it will not be counted.

To Summarise

The COUNT function in Excel is a useful tool for quickly counting the
number of cells in a range that contain numeric values. Its simple syntax
and straightforward use make it a popular function for data analysis and
statistical calculations. The COUNT function is also versatile and can be
used in combination with other functions to count cells that meet specific
criteria or to perform more complex calculations.

COUNTA Function
What is it?

The Excel COUNTA function is a built-in function that counts the number
of cells in a range that are not empty. It can count cells that contain any
type of data, including text, numbers, logical values, and errors. If a cell
contains a formula that returns an empty string (" "), the COUNTA function
will count it as a non-empty cell.

Syntax

=COUNTA(value1, [value2], …)

Arguments

value1 (required): This argument specifies the first value or range of

values to count. You can specify a single cell, a range of cells, or an
array constant. You can also use a reference to a range of cells or a
range name.

value2 (optional): These arguments specify additional values or ranges

of values to count. You can specify up to 255 arguments.

Example:
Let's say you have a table of employee data, including their names,
departments, and job titles.

We want to know how many employees there are in total and display the
result in cell F2. To do this, you can use the COUNTA function as follows:

Step 1: In cell F2 enter the formula “=COUNTA(A2:A8)”.

Here's how the formula works:

The range A2:A8 is the argument for the COUNTA function, which
tells Excel what cells to count.

The COUNTA function then counts the number of non-blank cells in

the range A2:A8.

The COUNTA function returns the result in the selected cell.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the result. The result should be displayed in
cell F2, which in this case is 7.

Note: The COUNTA function differs from the COUNT function, which
only counts cells that contain numerical values. The COUNTA function can
be useful for counting the number of cells that contain any type of data,
including text and logical values.

To Summarise

The COUNTA function in Excel is a useful tool for counting the number of
non-blank cells in a given range. By simply selecting the range and
entering the COUNTA function with the appropriate range reference, users
can quickly determine the number of cells containing data, whether that be
text or numbers. This function is particularly useful for tasks such as data
analysis, record keeping, and inventory management.
COUNTBLANK Function
What is it?

The Excel COUNTBLANK function is a built-in function that counts the

number of blank cells within a given range. This function is useful when
you need to know the number of empty cells in a dataset, as it can help you
identify gaps in your data or determine if there are any missing values.

Syntax

=COUNTBLANK(range)

Arguments

range (required): The range of cells that you want to count the blank
cells from.

Example:

Suppose you have a table of data that looks like this:

You want to know how many blank cells there are in the Price and Quantity
columns and display the result in cell F2. Here's how you can use the
COUNTBLANK function to do this:

Step 1: In cell F2 enter the formula “=COUNTBLANK(B2:C6)”.

Here's how the formula works:

The range B2:C6 is the argument for the COUNTBLANK function,

which tells Excel what cells to count the blank cells.
 The formula then counts the number of cells that are empty in the
range B2:C6, and returns the count as the result.

Step 2: Press Enter to return the result. In this case, the result is 4 as there
are 4 blank cells in the range B2:C6.

Note: The COUNTBLANK function does not count cells that contain
formulas that return empty or null values.

To Summarise

The COUNTBLANK function in Excel is a useful tool for counting the

number of empty cells within a specified range. By using this function, you
can quickly determine if there are any gaps or missing values in your data
set. With its simple syntax and one required argument, the COUNTBLANK
function is easy to use and can save you time and effort when working with
large sets of data in Excel.

COUNTIF Function
What is it?

The Excel COUNTIF function is a useful tool for counting the number of
cells within a range that meet a specified criterion. It is particularly helpful
for analysing data and making decisions based on specific conditions.

Syntax

=COUNTIF(range, criteria)

Arguments

range (required): This is the range of cells that you want to count. It
can be a single cell or a range of cells.

criteria (required): This is the condition that the cells in the range must
meet to be counted. It can be a number, text, cell reference, or a logical
 expression. You can use operators like "<", ">", "=", "<=", ">=", "<>"
to set the criteria.

Example:

Suppose you have a list of names in column A as shown below:

You want to count the number of times a specific name appears in the list,
let’s say Jane, and return the result in cell D2. Here is how you can do this
using the COUNTIF function:

Step 1: In cell D2 enter the formula “=COUNTIF(A1:A8,C2)”.

Here's how the formula works:

The first argument of the COUNTIF function, A1:A8, specifies the

range of cells to search. In this case, we want to search the range
A1:A8.

The second argument of the COUNTIF function, cell C2 which

contains the text Jane, specifies the criteria to count. In this case, we
want to count the number of cells in the range A1:A8 that contain the
text Jane.

So, the COUNTIF function looks at each cell in the range A1:A8, and
if the cell contains the text Jane, it adds 1 to the count. Finally, it
returns the total count of cells that met the specified criteria.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the formula. The result should be 3, because
the name Jane appears three times in the list.

Note: The criteria argument is case-insensitive, meaning that it will count

cells that contain apple, Apple, or APPLE in the same way.

To Summarise
The COUNTIF function in Excel is a simple yet powerful tool for counting
cells that meet a specific criterion within a range of cells. It is particularly
useful for analysing data and making decisions based on specific
conditions. By understanding its syntax and arguments, users can use this
function to quickly and easily count the number of cells that meet their
criteria.

COUNTIFS Function
What is it?

The Excel COUNTIFS function is a statistical function that counts the

number of cells that meet multiple criteria or conditions within a range.
This function allows users to count the number of cells that meet a set of
criteria and provides more advanced filtering options than the basic
COUNT function.

Syntax

=COUNTIFS(range1, criteria1, [range2], [criteria2], ...)

Arguments

range1 (required): This is the range of cells to be evaluated for the first
condition.

criteria1 (required): This is the criteria that the cells in range1 must
meet in order to be counted.

range2 (optional): This is an additional range of cells to be evaluated

for a second condition.

criteria2 (optional): This is the criteria that the cells in range2 must
meet in order to be counted. You can have up to 127 range/criteria
pairs.

Example:
Let's say you have a data set of employees in a company and you want to
count the number of employees who work in a certain department and have
a certain job title.

We want to count the number of employees who work in Sales with the job
title Manager and return the result in cell F4. Here is how to do this using
the COUNTIFS function:

Step 1: In cell F4 enter the formula “=COUNTIFS(B2:B7,F2,C2:C7,F3)”.

Here's how the formula works:

B2:B7 is the range of cells that contains the department names.

Cell F2 is the criteria that we want to match in the Department

column.

C2:C7 is the range of cells that contain the job titles.

Cell F3 is the criteria that we want to match in the Job Title column.

So, this formula counts the number of cells in the range B2:B7 where
the cell value is Sales, AND in the range C2:C7 where the cell value is
Manager.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the formula. The result should be 1, as there
is only one employee who meets both criteria.

To Summarise

The Excel COUNTIFS function is a powerful tool that allows you to count
cells based on multiple criteria. By specifying one or more ranges and their
corresponding criteria, COUNTIFS can quickly count the number of cells
that meet those criteria. It is a useful function for analysing and
summarising large sets of data in Microsoft Excel. By following the steps
outlined in the example provided, users can leverage the COUNTIFS
function to easily count specific data points in their own Excel
spreadsheets.

LARGE Function
What is it?

The Excel LARGE function is a built-in function that is used to return the
nth largest value from a given range of values.

Syntax

=LARGE(array, k)

Arguments

array (required): This is a range of values or an array of data that

contains the values from which you want to find the nth largest value.
The range must contain at least one value, and it can be a range of
cells, an array, or a named range.

k (required): This is an integer value that specifies the position of the

largest value that you want to return from the array. For example, if
you set k to 1, the function will return the largest value in the array. If
you set k to 2, it will return the second largest value in the array, and
so on.

Example:

Let's say we have the following data in cells A2:A11:

We want to find the top three values in this data set using the LARGE
function and display them in cells D2 to D4. Here are the steps to do this:
Step 1: In cell D2 enter the formula “=LARGE($A$2:$A$11,C2)”.

Here's how the formula works:

A2:A11 s the range of cells or array of values that you want to find the
nth largest value from.

Cell C2 is the position of the value you want to find, in this case it is
the largest position.

So this formula is telling Excel to find the largest value in the range
A2:A11.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the formula. The result should be 10, as it is
the largest number in the range A2:A11.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to cells D3 and D4. Cell D3 will display the
second largest number and cell D4 the third largest number in the range
A2:A11.

Note: Notice that the array argument is an absolute cell reference by

inserting the dollar signs ($) before the column and row references. This is
because we are copying the formula down column D and we want to keep
the range in the array argument the same.
To Summarise

The LARGE function in Excel is a powerful tool that can be used to find
the nth largest value in a range. It works by sorting the values in the range
from largest to smallest and then returning the value at the specified
position. By understanding the syntax and usage of the LARGE function,
users can efficiently manipulate large data sets and extract relevant
information from them.

SMALL Function
What is it?

The Excel SMALL function is a built-in function that returns the nth
smallest value in a range or array of numerical data.

Syntax

=SMALL(array, k)

Arguments

array (required): This is the range or array of numerical data from

which you want to find the nth smallest value.

k (required): This specifies which nth smallest value you want to find.
It can be any positive integer from 1 to the total number of items in the
array.

Example:

Let's say we have a dataset of students and their test scores.

We want to find the three smallest test scores using the SMALL function
and display them in cells E2 to E4. Here is how to do this using the
SMALL function:

Step 1: In cell E2 enter the formula “=SMALL($B$2:$B$11,D2)”.

Here's how the formula works:

The range B2:B11 is the range of test scores we want to search for the
smallest value. This range includes all of the test scores in the dataset.
 The formula will tell Excel to search for the smallest value in the
range B2:B11. Since we specified that we wanted the smallest value
(using cell D2), Excel returns the smallest value in the range.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the formula. This will display the first
smallest test score, which is 76.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to cells E3 and E4. This will fill the next
two smallest test scores.

To Summarise

The Excel SMALL function is a powerful tool that can be used to find the
nth smallest value in a range of data. It is particularly useful when working
with large datasets where it may be difficult to identify the smallest values
manually. By specifying the position of the smallest value as the second
argument of the function, we can quickly and easily find multiple smallest
values within the same range.

MAX Function
What is it?
The MAX function in Microsoft Excel is a built-in function that returns the
highest value in a range of cells or a list of numbers.

Syntax

=MAX(number1,[number2],...)

Arguments

number1 (required): This is the first number or range of numbers from

which to find the maximum value. It can be a cell reference, a named
range, an array, or a constant.

number2 (optional): This is the second number or range of numbers

from which to find the maximum value. You can have up to 255
number arguments.

Example:

Suppose you have a set of numbers in column A, and you want to find the
maximum value in that range and display the result in cell D2.

Here's how you can do it using the MAX function:

Step 1: In cell D2 enter the formula “=MAX(A2:A8)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The MAX function uses the range A2:A8 as the number1 argument.

The function then evaluates each value in the argument and

determines which one is the largest.

Finally, the function returns the largest value as the result in cell D2.
Step 2: Press Enter to see the result. You will see that the maximum value
(12) is displayed in cell D2.

Note: If you have more than one range of numbers, you can separate them
with commas inside the MAX function. For example, the formula
=MAX(A1:A7, C1:C7) would find the maximum value from the ranges
A1:A7 and C1:C7.

To Summarise

The MAX function in Excel is a useful tool for finding the maximum value
in a range of numbers. By following the steps outlined above, you can
easily use the MAX function to find the largest number in a set of values.
With its flexibility to handle multiple ranges or arrays of numbers, the
MAX function is an essential tool for data analysis and calculations in
Excel.

MAXA Function
What is it?

The Excel MAXA function returns the maximum value in a list of numbers
or cells, including numbers, text, logical values, and error values. It differs
from the MAX function in that it includes text and logical values in its
calculation, whereas the MAX function only considers numerical values.

Syntax

=MAXA(number1,[number2],...)

Arguments

number1 (required): The first number or range of numbers to evaluate.

It can be a reference to a cell, a range of cells, or a constant value.

number2 (optional): The second number or range of numbers to

evaluate. You can include up to 255 additional numbers or ranges of
numbers, separated by commas.
Example:

Suppose you have a set of numbers in an Excel spreadsheet, as shown

below:

You want to find the largest value in this set of numbers, including any
errors or non-numeric values and display the result in cell D2. Here's how
you can use the MAXA function to do this:

Step 1: In cell D2 enter the formula “=MAXA(A2:A6)”.

Here's how the formula works:

The formula uses the range A2:A6 as the number1 argument.

The MAXA function will evaluate each value in the range and
compare it to the other values. It considers numeric values to be
greater than non-numeric values, with the exception of logical values
(TRUE is considered greater than FALSE).

It then returns the largest value in the range A2:A6, including non-
numeric values such as text, logical values (TRUE or FALSE), and
error values.

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the function and find the maximum value. In
this example, the result of the MAXA function would be 15, because that is
the largest value in the range A2:A6, even though there is an error value in
cell A5.

Note: The MAXA function is similar to the MAX function, which also
finds the maximum value in a range of cells. However, the MAX function
ignores non-numeric values and returns an error if any value in the range is
not a number. The MAXA function is more versatile in that it can handle
non-numeric values and still return the maximum value in the range. If
there are multiple maximum values in the range, the MAXA function
returns the first one it encounters.

To Summarise

The MAXA function in Excel is a useful tool for finding the maximum
value in a range of cells, including both numeric and non-numeric values. It
allows you to analyse a set of data that may include errors, text, or logical
values and still return the maximum value in the range. Compared to the
MAX function, which only considers numeric values, the MAXA function
is more versatile and can handle a wider range of data types. By
understanding how the MAXA function works and how to use it
effectively, you can more easily analyse and understand your data in Excel.

MAXIFS Function
What is it?

The Excel MAXIFS function is a statistical function used to find the

maximum value from a range of cells that meet certain criteria or
conditions. It was introduced in Excel 2019 and is available in Excel for
Office 365, Excel for Mac, and Excel Online.

Syntax

=MAXIFS(max_range, criteria_range1, criteria1, [criteria_range2,

criteria2], …)

Arguments

max_range (required): This is the range of cells from which the

maximum value is to be found.

criteria_range1 (required): This is the first range of cells that contain

the criteria or conditions that the data must meet.

criteria1 (required): This is the criteria or condition that must be met in

the first criteria_range1. It can be a number, text, logical expression, or
 reference to a cell containing a value.

criteria_range2, criteria2 (optional): These are optional additional

ranges of cells and criteria that can be used to further narrow down the
data to find the maximum value.

Example:

Suppose we have the following table of data:

We want to find the maximum score for people aged 27 or older and
display the result in cell F2. Here's how to do it:

Step 1: In cell F2 enter the formula “=MAXIFS(C2:C5,B2:B5,">=27")”.

Let's break down the formula:

The first argument (C2:C5) is the range of cells where we want to find
the maximum value (in this case, the scores).

The second argument (B2:B5) is the range of cells where we want to

apply the first criterion (in this case, the ages).

The third argument (">=27") is the criteria we want to apply to the

second argument. This means we want to find scores where the
corresponding age is greater than or equal to 27.

So the formula reads: "Find the maximum value in the range C2:C5
where the corresponding value in the range B2:B5 is greater than or
equal to 27."

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the formula. The maximum score for people
aged 27 or older will be displayed in cell F2, which is 92.
Note: The MAXIFS function is similar to the MAX function, but with the
added ability to filter by multiple criteria.

To Summarise

The MAXIFS function in Excel is a powerful tool that allows users to find
the maximum value in a range based on multiple criteria. By specifying
both the range of cells to be analysed and the criteria to be applied, the
MAXIFS function can quickly and easily identify the maximum value that
meets the specified conditions. By understanding how to use this function,
users can save time and increase efficiency in their data analysis tasks.

MIN Function
What is it?

The Excel MIN function is a built-in function that returns the minimum
value from a range of cells or a list of numeric values. It can be used to find
the lowest score, the smallest price, or any other smallest value in a given
range.

Syntax

=MIN(number1,[number2],...)

Arguments

number1 (required): Represents the first number or range of numbers

from which you want to find the smallest value. You can enter a single
value, a cell reference, or a range of cells.

number2 (optional): This is the second number or range of numbers

from which the minimum value is to be calculated. You can include up
to 255 additional numbers or ranges of numbers, separated by
commas.

Example:
Let's say we have a list of values that represent the sales figures for a
particular company over the last four quarters. We want to find the
minimum sales value from this list using the MIN function in Excel and
display the result in cell E2.

Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: In cell E2 enter the formula “=MIN(B2:B5)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The range B2:B5 is used as the number1 argument.

The formula tells Excel to look at the values in cells B2 through B5,
which contain our sales figures for the four quarters.

The MIN function then evaluates these values and returns the smallest
one.

Step 2: Press Enter to complete the formula. So in this example, the MIN
function has returned the minimum sales value of $42,000, which occurred
in Q4.

Note: The MIN function ignores any text or logical values (such as TRUE
or FALSE) in the range or list of numbers. If a cell in the range or list
contains an error value (such as #N/A or #DIV/0!), the MIN function will
return an error value as well.

To Summarise

The Excel MIN function is a built-in function that is used to find the
smallest value in a range of cells or an array of values. It takes one required
argument, which is the first number or range of numbers from which you
want to find the smallest value, and you can include up to 255 additional
numbers or ranges of numbers as optional arguments. The MIN function
ignores any text or logical values in the range or list of numbers and returns
an error value if any of the cells in the range or list contain an error value.
This function is helpful when working with numerical data in Excel, as it
allows you to quickly determine the smallest value in a set of numbers.

MINIFS Function
What is it?

The Excel MINIFS function is used to find the minimum value in a range
of cells that meets one or more specified criteria. It was introduced in Excel
2016 and is available in later versions of Excel.

Syntax

=MINIFS(range, criteria_range1, criteria1, [criteria_range2, criteria2], ...)

Arguments

range (required): Represents the range of cells in which the minimum

value is to be found. It can be a range of cells or an array.

criteria_range1 (required): Represents the range of cells that contain

the first criteria. It can be the same as the range argument or a different
range.

criteria1 (required): Represents the first criteria that you want to apply
to the criteria_range1. It can be a number, text, date, logical
expression, cell reference, or another function.

criteria_range2, criteria2 (optional): These are optional arguments and

can be used to specify additional criteria ranges and criteria. You can
add up to 127 pairs of criteria_range and criteria arguments.

Example:

Suppose we have a table of sales data for a company that sells different
products in different regions, and we want to find the minimum sales value
for a specific product in a specific region.

In this example, we want to display the minimum sales in cell F4 for the
product Gizmo in the West region. Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: In cell F4 enter the formula

“=MINIFS(C2:C7,A2:A7,F2,B2:B7,F3)”.

Here's a breakdown of the MINIFS function syntax:

The first argument is the range of cells to evaluate: C2:C7 contains our
sales data.

The second argument is the criteria range for the first condition:
A2:A7 contains our product data. We specify Gizmo as the criteria in
cell F2.

The third argument is the criteria range for the second condition:
B2:B7 contains our region data. We specify West as the criteria in cell
F3.

The formula evaluates each cell in the range C2:C7 and returns the
minimum value that meets both conditions (product = Gizmo and
region = West).

In our example, only one cell (C5) meets both conditions, and its value
is 50.

So essentially, the MINIFS function filters the data based on the

criteria provided and returns the minimum value of the filtered data.

Step 2: Press Enter. The formula returns 50, which is the minimum sales
value for Gizmo in the West region.

To Summarise
The MINIFS function in Excel is a powerful tool for finding the minimum
value among cells that meet multiple criteria. It can be used to filter data
based on specific conditions and return the minimum value that meets those
conditions. This function is particularly useful when working with large
datasets and allows for quick and efficient data analysis. By following the
step-by-step instructions provided in the example, users can easily utilise
the MINIFS function in their own spreadsheets to quickly retrieve the
minimum value based on multiple conditions.

MEDIAN Function
What is it?

The Excel MEDIAN function is a statistical function used to calculate the

median value in a set of numerical data. The median is the middle value in
a range of values, such that half the values are above it and half the values
are below it. If there is an odd number of values in the set, the median is the
middle value. If there is an even number of values, the median is the
average of the two middle values.

Syntax

=MEDIAN(number1,[number2],...)

Arguments

number1 (required): The first number or range of numbers for which

you want to find the median.

number2 (optional): Additional numbers or ranges of numbers that

you want to include in the median calculation.

Example:

Let's say we have a dataset of 10 numbers as follows:

We want to find the median of this dataset using the MEDIAN function in
Excel and display the result in cell D2. Here's how to do it:

Step 1: In cell D2 enter the formula “=MEDIAN(A2:A11)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The function takes a range of values as its argument, which can be

either a range of cells, in this case A2:A11, or an array of numbers.

The function then sorts the values in the range from lowest to highest.

If there are an odd number of values, the median is simply the middle
value in the sorted range.

If there are an even number of values, the median is calculated as the

average of the two middle values in the sorted range.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the median value. The result should be
displayed in cell D2 which is 8.5, the median value of the dataset.

To Summarise

the Excel MEDIAN function is a simple yet powerful tool for finding the
middle value of a set of data. By following the steps outlined above, you
can easily find the median of any list of numbers in an Excel worksheet.
Whether you are analysing student grades, sales data, or any other type of
numerical information, the MEDIAN function can help you quickly and
accurately determine the central value of your data set. By using this
function, you can save time and effort in your data analysis tasks, and make
more informed decisions based on the insights you gain from your data.

FREQUENCY Function
What is it?
The Excel FREQUENCY function is a statistical function that returns a
frequency distribution of values in a set of data. It calculates how often
each value occurs within a range of values, and then returns an array that
shows the frequency of each value.

Syntax

=FREQUENCY(data_array, bins_array)

Arguments

data_array (required): This is the array or range of input data for

which you want to calculate the frequency distribution. The data must
be in the form of an array or a reference to a range of cells.

bins_array (required): This is the array or range of intervals or bins

that you want to use to create the frequency distribution. The bins
must be in the form of an array or a reference to a range of cells.

The function calculates how many values in the data_array fall into each
interval or bin specified in the bins_array. It then returns an array of values
that represents the frequency distribution.

The size of the returned array is one less than the size of the bins_array. For
example, if you have 10 bins, the function will return an array with 9
values, which represents the frequency of values that fall into each bin.

Example:

Suppose we have a dataset of exam scores for a group of students in

column A. We want to find out how many students scored within different
score ranges as shown in column D and enter the frequency in column E.

We need to enter the bins in order for the FREQUENCY function to work.
Column C contains the bins, which is the last number in the score range in
column D.
Step 1: Select the range E2:E5 and then enter the formula
“=FREQUENCY(A2:A11,C2:C5)”.

Step 2: Once you type the formula, press Ctrl+Shift+Enter. This is because
the FREQUENCY function returns an array of values, so you must enter it
as an array formula.

Here is how the formula works:

The data_array is the range of values we want to analyse. In our

example, this is the range A2:A11, which contains the scores.

The bins_array is an array of values that defines the intervals or "bins"

we want to count. In our example, this is the range C2:C5.

The FREQUENCY function returns an array of values that represents

how many values in the data_array fall within each bin in the
bins_array.

This means that the FREQUENCY function will count how many
scores in the range A2:A11 fall within each of the score ranges in the
range D2:D5. The function returns an array of four values, which
represent the counts for each score range.

The result we get in column E is an array of four values that represent

how many scores fall within each of the four score ranges. The first
value (1) represents the number of scores between 60-69, the second
value (3) represents the number of scores between 70-79, the third
value (4) represents the number of scores between 80-89, and the
fourth value (2) represents the number of scores between 90-100.

To Summarise

The Excel FREQUENCY function is a useful tool for analysing data and
counting how many values fall within a range of values or "bins". In this
example, we used the FREQUENCY function to count how many scores
fell within each of four score ranges. By specifying the score ranges as the
bins_array argument and the scores as the data_array argument, the
function returned an array of values representing how many scores fell
within each range. This allowed us to easily analyse the data and draw
conclusions about the distribution of scores. The FREQUENCY function is
a powerful tool for data analysis and is commonly used in fields such as
statistics, finance, and research.
Information Functions
Information Excel functions help check the type of data or content in a cell
and are used to test different characteristics of a cell. In this chapter, we
will explore what all the different information functions are, and how to use
them in your dataset.

ISBLANK Function
What is it?

The Excel ISBLANK function is used to check whether a cell is empty or

not. It returns TRUE if the cell is empty and FALSE if it contains any value
or formula.

Syntax

=ISBLANK(value)

Arguments

value (required): This is the cell or range of cells that you want to test
for blankness. If the cell or range of cells is blank, the function will
return TRUE. If the cell or range of cells contains any value or
formula, the function will return FALSE.

Example:

Let's say we have the following data in cells A2 to A7:

We want to check if each cell is blank or not using the ISBLANK function
in column B. Here's how we can do it:
Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=ISBLANK(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

Cell A2 is used as the value argument.

Excel will then evaluate if cell A2 is blank or not and returns either
TRUE or FALSE.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the formula. The result will be displayed as
FALSE, since cell A2 is not blank.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to cell B7. The results will be displayed as
FALSE for cells B2, B4, and B7 (since cells A2, A4 and A7 are not blank),
and TRUE for cells B3, B5, and B6 (since cells A3, A5 and A6 are blank).

To Summarise

The Excel ISBLANK function is a useful tool for checking whether a cell
is empty or not. By taking a cell or range of cells as input, the function
returns a Boolean value (TRUE or FALSE) that indicates whether the cell
is empty or not. This can be helpful for a variety of purposes, such as data
validation, conditional formatting, and data analysis.

ISERROR Function
What is it?

The Excel ISERROR function is a logical function that checks whether a

value is an error value or not. It returns TRUE if the value is an error value
(such as #N/A, #VALUE!, #REF!, #DIV/0!, #NUM!, or #NAME?), and
FALSE if it is not.

Syntax
=ISERROR(value)

Arguments

value (required): The value that you want to check for an error. This
can be a cell reference, a formula, or a value. The function returns
TRUE if the value is an error value, and FALSE if it is not.

Example:

Suppose we have a list of numbers in cells A2 to A7, as shown below:

We want to check if each value in the list is an error or not using the
ISERROR function in column B. Here are the steps:

Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=ISERROR(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

Cell A2 is used as the value argument.

Excel evaluates the contents of cell A2 to determine whether it

contains an error or not.

If cell A2 contains an error, such as #N/A or #DIV/0!, the function

will return a value of TRUE.

If cell A2 does not contain an error, the function will return a value of
FALSE.

Step 2: Press Enter to calculate the formula. The result in cell B2 will be
FALSE, since cell A2 does not contain an error.
Step 3: Copy the formula down to cell B7. The results will be displayed as
FALSE for cells B2, B3, B5 and B7 (since the corresponding values in
column A are not errors), and TRUE for cells B4, and B6 (since the
corresponding values in column A are errors).

To Summarise

The ISERROR function is a useful Excel function that helps to determine if

a given value is an error or not. It returns a Boolean value of TRUE or
FALSE, which can be used to trigger further actions or to simply identify
errors in a spreadsheet. By following the steps outlined in the example
above, users can effectively use the ISERROR function to check if each
value in a list is an error or not. This function can be especially helpful
when working with large sets of data or when trying to identify and
troubleshoot errors in complex spreadsheets.

ISFORMULA Function
What is it?

The Excel ISFORMULA function is a logical function that checks whether

a given cell contains a formula or not. It returns TRUE if the cell contains a
formula and FALSE if the cell contains a value or is empty.

Syntax

=ISFORMULA(reference)

Arguments

reference (required): This is the reference to the cell that you want to
check if it contains a formula. It can be a cell reference (e.g., A1) or a
range of cell references (e.g., A1:C10).

Example:

Let's say we have the following data in cells A2 to A5:

We want to check if each value in the list in column A contains a formula
or not using the ISFORMULA function in column B. Here are the steps to
do this:

Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=ISFORMULA(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

Cell A2 is used as the reference argument.

Excel evaluates the contents of cell A2 to determine whether it

contains a formula or not.

If cell A2 contains a formula, the function will return a value of

TRUE.

If cell A2 does not contain an error, the function will return a value of
FALSE.

Step 2: Press Enter. The result in cell B2 will be FALSE, since cell A2 does
not contain a formula.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to cell B5. The results in cells B3 and B5
will be TRUE, since cells A3 and A5 contain formulas, while the result in
cell B2 and B4 will be FALSE, since these cells do not contain a formula.

To Summarise

The Excel ISFORMULA function is a useful tool for identifying which

cells in a range contain formulas. By using this function, you can quickly
and easily determine which cells are being calculated based on other cells
in your worksheet. This can be particularly helpful when working with
large datasets or complex formulas.
ISNUMBER Function
What is it?

The Excel ISNUMBER function is a logical function that checks whether a

given value is a numeric value or not. It returns TRUE if the value is a
number, and FALSE if it is not.

Syntax

=ISNUMBER(value)

Arguments

value (required): This specifies the value or cell reference that you
want to test. It can be any type of value, including a number, text, or
logical value.

Example:

Let's say we have a list of values in column A in an Excel worksheet and

we want to check which ones are numbers using the ISNUMBER function
and display the results in column B.

Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=ISNUMBER(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

Cell A2 is used as the value argument.

Excel evaluates the contents of cell A2 to determine whether it is a

number or not.
 If cell A2 contains a number, the function will return a value of
TRUE.

If cell A2 does not contain a number, the function will return a value
of FALSE.

Step 2: Press Enter. The result in cell B2 will return a logical value of
TRUE, since cell A2 contains a number.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to cell B6. The results in cells B2, B4 and
B6 will be TRUE, since cells A2, A4 and A6 contain a number, while the
result in cell B3 and B5 will be FALSE, since these cells contain text.

To Summarise

The ISNUMBER function in Excel is a useful tool for checking if a value is

a number or not. By using this function, you can quickly identify which
values in a column are numeric and which ones are not. This function can
be particularly helpful when working with large data sets, as it can save you
time and effort by automating the process of identifying numeric values.
Overall, the ISNUMBER function is a simple but powerful feature in Excel
that can help you work with data more efficiently and effectively.

ISEVEN Function
What is it?

The Excel ISEVEN function is a built-in function that returns TRUE if the
supplied number is even, and FALSE otherwise. It is particularly useful
when working with large datasets that require filtering or sorting based on
even or odd values.

Syntax

=ISEVEN(number)
Arguments

number (required): The value or cell reference that you want to test if
it is even.

Example:

Suppose we have a list of values in column A as shown below:

We want to check which ones are even numbers using the ISEVEN
function and display the results in column B. Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=ISEVEN(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The number argument is cell A2.

Excel evaluates the contents of cell A2 to determine whether it is an

even number or not.

If cell A2 is an even number, the function will return a value of TRUE

otherwise it will return FALSE.

Step 2: Press Enter. The result should be TRUE since 2 is an even number.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to cell B7. The results in cells B2, B4, B5
and B6 will be TRUE, since cells A2, A4, A5 and A6 contain an even
number, while the result in cell B3 and B7 will be FALSE, since cells A3
and A7 contain odd numbers.

Note: The ISEVEN function rounds down any decimal values to the nearest
whole number before testing for evenness. Also, if the supplied argument is
not a valid number or is a text value, the ISEVEN function returns the
#VALUE! error.

To Summarise

The Excel ISEVEN function is a useful tool for determining whether a

given number is even or odd. By following the simple steps outlined in this
example, you can easily apply the function to your own data and quickly
identify which numbers are even and which are odd. This can then be used
to filter your dataset.

ISODD Function
What is it?

The Excel ISODD function is a logical function that checks whether a

given numeric value is odd or not. It returns TRUE if the number is odd,
and FALSE if the number is even.

Syntax

=ISODD(number)

Arguments

number (required): Represents the numeric value that you want to test.
It can be a cell reference, a number, or a formula that returns a
numeric value.

Example:

Suppose you have a column of numbers in cells A2:A6 and you want to
find out which ones are odd and display the results in column B.

Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=ISODD(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The number argument is cell A2.

Excel evaluates the contents of cell A2 to determine whether it is an

odd number or not.

If cell A2 is an odd number, the function will return a value of TRUE

otherwise it will return FALSE.

Step 2: Press Enter. The result should be FALSE since 2 is an even number.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to cell B6. The results in cells B3, and B5
will be TRUE, since cells A3, and A5 contain an odd number, while the
result in cell B2, B4 and B6 will be FALSE, since cells A2, A4, and A6
contain even numbers.

Note: The ISODD function rounds down any decimal values to the nearest
whole number before testing for oddness. Also, if the supplied argument is
not a valid number or is a text value, the ISODD function returns the
#VALUE! error.

To Summarise

This function, like with the ISEVEN function is often used in combination
with other functions to perform conditional operations. For example, you
can use the ISODD function in an IF statement to check whether a given
number is odd or even and then perform an action based on the result.

ISTEXT Function
What is it?
The Excel ISTEXT function is a logical function that returns TRUE if the
given value is text, and FALSE if it is not.

Syntax

=ISTEXT(value)

Arguments

value (required): Specifies the value that you want to test. It can be
any type of value, such as a number, a date, a logical value, or text. If
the value is a text string, the function returns TRUE. If the value is not
text, the function returns FALSE.

Example:

Let's say we have a list of values in column A, and we want to check which
ones are text and which ones are not and display the results in column B.
Here's what our data looks like:

Here is how to do this using the ISTEXT function:

Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=ISTEXT(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

Cell A2 is used as the value argument.

Excel evaluates the contents of cell A2 to determine whether it is text

or not.

If cell A2 contains text, the function will return a value of TRUE

otherwise it will return FALSE.
Step 2: Press Enter to evaluate the formula. The result should be TRUE as
this cell contains the text Apple.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to cell B8. As you can see, the ISTEXT
function evaluated each value in column A and returned TRUE for the text
values, and FALSE for the non-text values.

Note: The ISTEXT function is case-insensitive, which means that it treats

uppercase and lowercase letters as the same. For example,
=ISTEXT("Hello") and =ISTEXT("hello") both return TRUE.
Additionally, if the value argument contains a space character or a formula
that returns an empty string (" "), the function returns TRUE.

To Summarise

The Excel ISTEXT function is a simple but powerful tool that can be used
to quickly and easily check whether a given value is text or not. This
function can be especially useful for data analysis and manipulation, as it
allows users to identify and isolate specific types of data in a spreadsheet.
By following the step-by-step instructions provided in this example, users
can learn how to use the ISTEXT function in Excel and apply it to their
own datasets.

ISNONTEXT Function
What is it?

The Excel ISNONTEXT function is a logical function that returns TRUE if

the value in a cell is not text, and returns FALSE if the value in a cell is
text.

Syntax

=ISNONTEXT(value)

Arguments
 value (required): The cell or value that you want to test whether it is
non-text. This can be a reference to a cell, a formula, or a value.

Example:

Let's say you have a list of values in cells A2:A6, and you want to check
which cells contain non-text values and display the results in column B.

Here's how you can use the ISNONTEXT function to do that:

Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=ISNONTEXT(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

Cell A2 is used as the value argument.

Excel checks the contents of cell A2 to determine whether it is non-

text.

If cell A2 is non-text, the function will return a value of TRUE

otherwise it will return FALSE.

Step 2: Press Enter to apply the formula to cell B2. The result will be
FALSE, since the value in cell A2 is text.

Step 3: Copy the formula down to cell B6. You will now see that cells B3
and B5 return TRUE, since they contain non-text values (25 and 45.6,
respectively), while cells B2, B4, and B6 return FALSE, since they contain
text values.

To Summarise
The ISNONTEXT function is a useful Excel function that can be used to
identify cells that contain non-text values. By applying the ISNONTEXT
function to a range of cells, we can quickly and easily determine which
cells contain non-text values and which cells contain text values. This can
be helpful in a variety of scenarios, such as when working with data that
contains both text and numeric values, or when verifying that data has been
entered correctly. The ISNONTEXT function is easy to use and can be a
helpful tool for anyone who works with Excel regularly.

CELL Function
What is it?

The Excel CELL function is a built-in function that retrieves information

about a cell in a worksheet, such as its formatting, location, and contents.

Syntax

=CELL(info_type, [reference])

Arguments

info_type (required): Specifies the type of information you want to

retrieve about the cell. It can be entered as a text string or a reference
to a cell that contains the text string. Some examples of info_types are:

"address": Returns the cell address in text format, including the sheet
name and any dollar signs used to indicate absolute references.

"color": Returns a number representing the colour of the cell's interior

or font, depending on the optional second argument (see below).

"filename": Returns the file name of the workbook containing the cell.

"format": Returns the cell's format code.

"contents": Returns the contents of the cell.

 "type": Returns a number representing the data type of the cell (1 for
text, 2 for numbers, 4 for logical values, and so on).

reference (optional): Specifies the cell or range of cells you want to

retrieve information about. If omitted, Excel uses the cell that contains
the formula as the reference. The reference can be entered as a text
string or a cell reference.

Example:

Here's an example of how to use the CELL function to retrieve the address
of cell.

Step 1: Select a cell to enter the formula to get the cell address. Let’s say
cell C1.

Step 2: In cell C1, enter the formula "=CELL("address",A1)". This formula

tells Excel to retrieve the address of cell A1.

Here is how the formula works:

The CELL function has two arguments: "info_type" and "reference".

The "info_type" argument specifies the type of information you want
to retrieve about the cell, while the "reference" argument specifies the
cell that you want to retrieve the information from.

In this case, the "info_type" argument is "address", which tells the

CELL function to retrieve the address of the cell specified in the
"reference" argument.

The "reference" argument is simply A1, which specifies the cell that
we want to retrieve the address of.

Step 3: Press Enter to calculate the formula. The value in cell C1 should
now be "$A$1", which is the address of cell A1 and the formula returns it
as a text string.
Other Examples

You can also use the CELL function to retrieve other types of information
about a cell, such as its row number or column letter. Here are a few
examples:

To retrieve the row number of a cell, use the formula: =CELL("row",

A1)

To retrieve the column letter of a cell, use the formula: =CELL("col",

A1)

To retrieve the contents of a cell, use the formula: =CELL("contents",

A1)

To Summarise

The Excel CELL function is a useful tool for retrieving information about
specific cells in an Excel worksheet. By using the CELL function with
different info_type arguments, you can retrieve information such as the
address, format, or contents of a cell. In the example provided, we used the
CELL function with the "address" argument to retrieve the address of cell
A1 demonstrating how this function can be used to retrieve information
about a cell's location. With a deeper understanding of how to use the
CELL function, you can expand your Excel capabilities and gain more
insights from your data.

INFO Function
What is it?

The Excel INFO function is a built-in function that returns information

about the current operating environment or current version of Microsoft
Excel.

Syntax

=INFO(type_info)
Arguments

type_info (required): Specifies the type of information that you want

to retrieve. It can be one of the following values:

"directory": Returns the current working directory of the Excel

installation.

"numfile": Returns the number of worksheets in the active workbook.

"origin": Returns the reference style (A1 or R1C1) used in the current
Excel installation.

"osversion": Returns the version of the operating system running on

the computer.

"recalc": Returns the calculation mode (automatic, manual, or semi-

automatic) used in the current Excel installation.

"release": Returns the version number of Excel (for example, "14.0"

for Excel 2010).

"system": Returns information about the operating system (such as

"Windows NT").

Example:

Let’s say we want to return the version of the operating system currently
running on our computer. Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: Select a cell to display the version of the operating system. Let’s
say cell A1.

Step 2: In cell A1, enter the following formula: “=INFO("OSVERSION")”.

Here is how the formula works:

 The formula works by calling the INFO function, which is a built-in
Excel function.

The function takes one argument, which specifies the type of

information to return. In this case, we're passing the argument
"OSVERSION", which requests information about the operating
system version.

Step 3: Press Enter to calculate the formula. The cell will display the
version of the operating system.

To Summarise

The INFO function in Excel is a built-in function that allows users to

retrieve information about the current operating environment. By passing
different arguments to the function, users can retrieve information such as
the current operating system version, the current user name, and the version
of Excel being used. This function can be useful in various situations, such
as when troubleshooting or when working with different versions of Excel
or different operating systems.

ERROR.TYPE Function
What is it?

The Excel ERROR.TYPE function is a built-in function that allows you to

identify the type of error in a formula. It returns an integer that corresponds
to the error type of the cell reference specified.

Syntax

=ERROR.TYPE(error_val)

Arguments

error_val (required): This is the cell reference or formula that you

want to evaluate. This argument can be a cell reference or a formula
 that produces an error. The error can be any one of the following:
#N/A, #VALUE!, #REF!, #DIV/0!, #NUM!, #NAME?, or #NULL!

The function returns an integer value that corresponds to the error type of
the specified cell reference or formula. The following table lists the error
types and their corresponding integer values:

Example:

Let’s say you have a list of errors in column A and you want to return the
type of error in column B as shown below:

Here is an example of how to use the ERROR.TYPE function with step-by-

step instructions:

Step 1: In cell B2 enter the formula “=ERROR.TYPE(A2)”.

Here is how the formula works:

The error_val argument is the reference to the cell or formula that

contains the error you want to identify. In this case it is cell A2.

When you enter the ERROR.TYPE formula into cell B2, Excel returns
a number that corresponds to the type of error.

Step 2: Press Enter. The result should be 2, which corresponds to the

#DIV/0! error.

Step 3: Copy the formula in cell B2 all the way through to cell B7. As you
can see, the formula returns the integers for all the different error types in
column A.
Below are the error types and what they mean:

1 - #NULL!: indicates that a formula references a cell range that

includes a NULL value (i.e., a blank cell) within its range.

2 - #DIV/0!: indicates that a formula attempts to divide a number by

zero (0).

3 - #VALUE!: indicates that a formula contains an invalid data type,

such as trying to perform a calculation on a cell that contains text
instead of a number.

4 - #REF!: indicates that a formula contains an invalid cell reference,

such as a cell that has been deleted or moved.

5 - #NAME?: indicates that a formula contains an unrecognised text

string or function name.

6 - #NUM!: indicates that a formula contains a numeric value that is

too large or too small for Excel to handle.

7 - #N/A: indicates that a value is not available to a function or

formula.

To Summarise

The ERROR.TYPE function in Excel is a useful tool for identifying the

type of error in a cell or formula. It returns a number that corresponds to a
specific error type, such as #DIV/0!, #N/A, #VALUE!, #REF!, #NAME?,
#NUM!, or #NULL!. By using the ERROR.TYPE function, you can easily
identify the error in your spreadsheet and take appropriate action to fix it.
This can help you to save time and ensure that your data is accurate and
reliable.
Excel Formulas and Functions Tips
and Tricks
This chapter contains some useful tips and tricks to help you become more
efficient and productive in Excel when you are working with Excel
formulas and functions.

Using the F9 Key to Evaluate a Formula

When you evaluate a formula, Excel replaces the formula with the result of
the calculation. You can evaluate a formula easily using the F9 key. When
you use the F9 key, Excel replaces the part of the formula that you selected
with the calculated result.

Here are the steps to do this:

Step 1: Click on the cell that contains the formula you want to evaluate.

Step 2: Press the F2 key to enter edit mode for the cell.

Step 3: Select the part of the formula that you want to evaluate.

Step 4: Press the F9 key to evaluate the selected part of the formula.

Step 5: To exit edit mode, press the Esc key.

Show all Cells That Contains a Formula

Here are the steps to show all cells that contain a formula:

Step 1: Select any cell in the worksheet.

Step 2: Press the F5 key or alternatively press Ctrl + G keys to open the Go
To dialog box.

Step 3: Click on the Special button at the bottom left of the dialog box.

Step 4: In the Go To Special dialog box that appears, select Formulas and
click OK.

Excel will select all cells in the range that contain formulas.

How to Convert Formulas to Values

Converting formulas to values is useful for the following reasons:

Freeze the results: When you convert formulas to values, you "freeze"
the results of your calculations at that moment. This means that the
values won't change if you update or delete the data used in the
original calculation, providing you with a stable set of results.

Reduce file size: Excel files with many formulas can be large and take
a long time to load or save. By converting formulas to values, you
reduce the file size, making it easier to manage and share.

Protect formulas: Converting formulas to values can be useful when

you want to protect the formulas from being accidentally changed.
This is especially helpful if the spreadsheet will be used by others who
may not have the knowledge or experience to understand the formulas.

Simplify the view: Formulas can be complex, and it may be difficult to

understand what is happening in the calculation. By converting
formulas to values, you simplify the view of the data and make it
easier to read and analyse.

Here are the step-by-step instructions to convert formulas to values in

Excel:

Step 1: Select the cells containing the formulas you want to convert.
Step 2: Copy the selected cells using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + C or
right-click and select Copy.

Step 3: Right-click on the cell or range of cells where you want to paste the
values.

Step 4: From the right-click menu, select Paste Special.

Step 5: In the Paste Special dialog box, under Paste, select Values.

Step 6: Click OK.

Hiding Formulas in a Worksheet

There are many reasons you may want to hide a formula in an Excel
worksheet. Here are some common reasons:

Preventing accidental changes: When you share an Excel file with

others, you may not want them to accidentally change the formulas.
Hiding formulas ensures that the formulas cannot be easily edited or
deleted.

Protecting confidential information: If your Excel file contains

sensitive data, such as financial information or personal data, you may
not want others to see the underlying formulas. Hiding the formulas
helps to protect this information.

Improving readability: If your Excel sheet contains a lot of formulas, it

can be difficult to read and understand. By hiding the formulas, you
can make the sheet easier to read and navigate.

Avoiding errors: If you have complex formulas in your Excel sheet,

they can be prone to errors. Hiding the formulas can help prevent
users from accidentally changing them, which can cause errors in your
data.

Here are the step-by-step instructions to hide formulas in Excel:

Step 1: Open the Excel file that contains the formulas you want to hide.

Step 2: Select the cells that contain the formulas you want to hide.

Step 3: Right-click on the selected cells and choose Format Cells from the
context menu.

Step 4: In the Format Cells dialog box, go to the Protection tab.

Step 5: Check the box next to Hidden and click OK to close the dialog box.

Step 6: Now, go to the Review tab in the Excel ribbon.

Step 7: Click on the Protect Sheet button.

Step 8: In the Protect Sheet dialog box, enter a password under Password to
unprotect sheet:.

Step 9: Click OK to close the dialog box.

Step 10: Re-enter the password in the Confirm Password dialog box and
press OK.

Step 11: Save the Excel file.

Now, the formula will be hidden from view.

 About the Author

Harjit Suman is an Excel and VBA consultant. He has over 10 years’

experience in Excel and VBA and has written a range of books,
including Amazon best sellers, to pass on his knowledge of Excel to
others. He has also provided Excel and VBA consultancy services to
small and medium sized companies. An Analyst in a large global
organisation, he enjoys playing lots of sports and in particular tennis
and football.

Harjit is also the founder and owner of the Excel Master Consultant
website which offers information on everything about Excel. In his
website you will find:

Lots of free Excel tutorials and blogs to expand your Excel

knowledge.
Online Excel and VBA courses you can buy.
 An online shop where you can buy Excel books in
paperback, Kindle, and eBook formats.

To check out his website just click the link below:

www.excelmasterconsultant.com

Please take a visit and drop him a message. He would love to hear
from you.
More Books by Excel Master
Consultant
Available to buy on Amazon now!

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Amazon US: www.amazon.com/dp/B08C4KVFX3

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 Amazon US: www.amazon.com/dp/B0868RV3D5

Amazon UK: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0B6WQLMF8

Amazon US: www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6WQLMF8
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