Microsoft Excel

Functions & Shortcuts for

Beginners
Parts of a Formula

1.Functions
2.References
3.Constants
4.Operators
 Formula Example ~ Single Argument

=SUM(A1:A10) is an example of a single argument.

Mathematical Formulas

• Sum
• Count
• Counta
• Sumif
• Average
• Round
• Product
• Roman
SUMIF

What it does?
sums items in a list matching a condition
Syntax:
sumif(in this range,values that meet this criteria,[sum-this-range])
Example:
=sumif(A1:A20,10) = sums the cells with the value of "10"
SUMIF
=sumif(condition range,condition, sum range)

Sum alternate Rows/Columns Number Amount Condition

Alt. Row Sum 1: 183 1 56 0
=sumif(E15:E21,1,D15:D21) 2 35 1
Alt. Row Sum 0: 285 3 66 0
=sumif(E15:E21,0,D15:D21) 4 23 1
5 98 0
6 125 1
7 65 0
 SUMIF
Color Printers Dept Quanity
• We want to know how many HP HP Laser Jet Admin 4
Laser Jet Printers we have. HP M553 Construction 5
• =sumif(a2:a14,”HP Laser Jet”,c2:c14) HP Laser Jet Construction 1
Epson WF2750 Police 4
• Which equals 11
HP Laser Jet Pro Fire Prevention 1
• We want to know how many HP Canon MF634 Human Svcs 2
Laser Jet Printers the POLICE have. HP Laser Jet Police 3

• =sumifs(c2:c14,a2:14,”HP Laser Canon MF634 Recreation 3

HP Laser Jet Parks 1
Jet”,b2:b14,”Police”)
HP M553 Clerk 1
• Which equals 3 HP Laser Jet Purchasing 1
Epson WF2750 OEM 1
HP Laser Jet Golf Course 1
AVERAGE
What it does?
averages a group of numbers
Syntax:
average(of this number range)
Example:
=average(2,4,6) 4 5 10
=average(c9:d11) 12.4166667 3.5 20
6 30
ROUND
What it does?
rounds a number to the nearest decimal you specify
Syntax:
round(this number, to this many digits after decimal)
Example:
=round(12.416667,2) 12.42
Other:
=rounddown(12.416667,2) 12.41
=roundup(12.416667,2) 12.42
Using Rounding for Budgeting
Assessed Value 7,189,343,350

RATE no RATE Actual

Amount to be RATE no round with Rate
TAX Raised round expanded round Struck
Municipal 42,778,836.00 0.60 0.5950 0.595 0.595
Municipal Open Space 1,437,869.00 0.02 0.0200 0.020 0.020
Library 2,871,017.00 0.04 0.0399 0.040 0.039
County 21,720,889.77 0.30 0.3021 0.302 0.303
County Open Space 761,633.70 0.01 0.0106 0.011 0.011
School 132,965,271.00 1.85 1.8495 1.849 1.850
Total 2.82 2.8172 2.8170 2.818
UGH!!!
ROMAN/ARABIC
What it does?
converts a number to roman numeral format
or visa versa
Syntax:
roman(number) arabic("text")
Example:
=roman(65) LXV
=arabic(LXV) 65
Logical Formulas

• If
• And
• Or
• Not
• Choose
• Iferror
• Istext
IF

What it does?
checks whether a condition is met and returns one value if TRUE and another if FALSE
Syntax:
if(is-this-true,then do this, or this)
Example:
=if(25<15,"looser","winner") = winner
Other:
=sumif(condition range,condition, sum range)
IFERROR
What it does?
an easy way to handle errors in formulas
IFERROR returns the value you want incase of
an error with the formula
Syntax:
iferror(formula, value to return if there is an error)
Example:
=iferror(1/0,"can't divide by zero") can't divide by zero
=iferror(0/1,"can't divide by zero") 0
Text Formulas

• Proper
• Trim
• Dollar
• Rept
• Text
• Type
Shortcuts

• Keyboard Shortcuts
• Insert Function
• Define Name
• Error Checking
• Watch Window
Keyboard
Shortcuts
• F2
• Ctrl-Home
• Double Click to change a
tab/sheet name
• Copy sheet within a
workbook
• Right Click to get Menu
• Press “Alt” Key and letters
appear called “Key Tips”
F2
Double Click to Change a Tab Name
Copy a Sheet ~ Copies WITH Format
Right Click Menu
ALT Key to see “Key Tips”
Error Types

Error Type When It Happens

#DIV/0! When you divide by ZERO
#N/A! When a formula or a function inside a formula
cannot find the referenced data.
#NAME? When the text in a formula is not recognized.
#NULL! When a space was used instead of a comma in
formulas that reference multiple ranges. A comma
is necessary to separate range references.
Error Types

Error Type When It Happens

#NUM! When a formula has numeric data
#REF! When a reference is invalid.
#VALUE! When the wrong type of operand or function
argument is used
###########
#DIV/0!
#N/A!

Excel displays this error when a value is not available to a function or formula.

=IFERROR(VLOOKUP(D2,$D$6:$E$8,2,TRUE),0)
#NAME?
#NULL

=SUM(C2:C3 E4:E6)
#REF!

This can happen when you delete

a row or column in error.

You can “undo” using Ctrl+Z or

the undo on the formula bar.

OR fix the formula to be

“continuous” =SUM(A2:C2)
 #VALUE!
This is displayed when a cell
contains different types of data.

One way to fix this is to use

=SUM(F2:F5)
Absolute and Relative Referencing
• Absolute cell reference contains a ($) in a Row and/or Column
• Do not change when copied or filled
• Use when you want to consistently refer to a certain cell

A1 Relative
A$1 Column is relative; Row is Constant
$A1 Row is relative; Column is absolute
$A$1 BOTH are Absolute
Order of Operations
• The Order of Operations tells Excel which operation to calculate first.

1. Parenthesis
2. Exponents
3. Multiplication & Division
4. Addition & Subtraction
Circular
Reference
• A circular reference
occurs when a cell
refers to itself.
Common Formula Errors

Start with an “EQUAL SIGN” =

If you omit the equal sign, Excel thinks the data is “TEXT”
Match all open and closing parentheses
This gets more complicated as you add more formulas
=IF(B5<0),”Not Valid”,B5*1.05) – EXTRA Parentheses after <0
Use a colon to indicate a range
=SUM(A1:A5) not =SUM(A1 A5) returns #NULL
Common Formula Errors

Enter all required and correct type of arguments

Ex. Cannot combine SUM & REPLACE (Numerical vs Text)
Enter numbers without formatting
Ex. If you enter 1,000 into a formula vs 1000, it treats it
like a comma separator looking at it like “1,000” or 1
CUT vs COPY
Relative vs Absolute
Formulas inconsistent with other formulas
Formulas that omit cells in a group
Error Checking ~ Reset Ignored Errors
Formulas Referring To Empty Cells
Error checking
Ways to AUDIT your Spreadsheet

• Inspect Workbook

• F2
Find & Select

• Find & Select is found on the

Home Tab
• Find and replace
• Find Formulas, Comments, etc
Trace Precedents/Dependents