Arguments in excel can be

Arguments are the values that functions use to perform calculations. In spreadsheet programs such as Excel and Google Sheets, functions are just built-in formulas that carry out set calculations and most of these functions require data to be entered, either by the user or another source, in order to return a result.

What is the argument in an Excel function?

A function argument is a specific input to a function. For example, the VLOOKUP function takes four arguments as follows: =VLOOKUP (value, table, col_index, [range_lookup]) Note most arguments are required, but some are optional. In Excel, optional arguments are denoted with square brackets.

What are arguments in Excel explain giving example?

Most of the functions found in Excel require some input or information in order to calculate correctly. For example, to use the AVERAGE function, you need to give it a range of numbers to average. =AVERAGE(A1:A100) Any input you give to a function is called an argument.

What is the type argument in Excel?

The Excel TYPE function returns a numeric code representing “type” in 5 categories: number = 1, text = 2, logical = 4, error = 16, and array = 64. Use TYPE when the operation of a formula depends on the type of value in a particular cell.

What are the two kinds of arguments in Excel?

The types of arguments that are used in Excel are given below.

• Numeric data (=SUM(5,10))
• Text-string data (=UPPER(“siam”))
• Boolean values (=OR(1+1=2))
• Error Values (=ISERR(#VALUE!))
• Other functions (=DATE(YEAR(A2) + B2, MONTH(A2), DAY(A2)))

What are the 3 arguments of the IF function?

There are 3 parts (arguments) to the IF function:

• TEST something, such as the value in a cell.
• Specify what should happen if the test result is TRUE.
• Specify what should happen if the test result is FALSE.

How do you create an argument in Excel?

Follow these steps:

1. Click the cell with the existing function.
2. Click the Insert Function button. The Function Argument dialog box appears.
3. Add, edit, or delete arguments, as follows:
4. Click OK when you’re finished.

What is the argument of a story?

Argument Definition
An argument is the main statement of a poem, an essay, a short story, or a novel, which usually appears as an introduction, or a point on which the writer will develop his work in order to convince his readers. Literature does not merely entertain. It also intends to shape the outlook of readers.

What is an argument in parentheses?

1. For the initial line of a Sub or Function, you use parentheses to enclose the arguments (if any), e.g. Sub MySubroutine(a As Long, b As String) or. Function MyFunction(a As Long, B As String) As Long.

How many arguments can a function have in Excel?

The concept of additional optional arguments is expressed with ellipses, which appear at the end of the argument list when a function takes multiple optional arguments. The SUM function can actually accept up to 256 arguments total.

What are the 3 types of cell references in Excel?

Relative, Absolute and Mixed
A key element of a formula is the cell reference, and there are three types: Relative. Absolute. Mixed.

What is a syntax in Excel?

The syntax of a function in Excel or Google Sheets refers to the layout and order of the function and its arguments.All functions begin with the equal sign ( = ) followed by the function’s name such as IF, SUM, COUNT, or ROUND.

How do you access function arguments in Excel?

Keyboard shortcut fans might know that you can start typing a formula, like =VLOOKUP(, into a cell and then press Ctrl+A to open the Functions Argument for that function.

What are the 10 logical functions in Excel?

Excel logical functions – overview

Function	Description	Formula Example
AND	Returns TRUE if all of the arguments evaluate to TRUE.	=AND(A2>=10, B2<5)
OR	Returns TRUE if any argument evaluates to TRUE.	=OR(A2>=10, B2<5)
XOR	Returns a logical Exclusive Or of all arguments.	=XOR(A2>=10, B2<5)

How do you create a logical argument in Excel?

Use the IF function, one of the logical functions, to return one value if a condition is true and another value if it’s false. For example: =IF(A2>B2,”Over Budget”,”OK”) =IF(A2=B2,B4-A4,””)
Syntax.

Argument name	Description
value_if_false (optional)	The value that you want returned if the result of logical_test is FALSE.

How many arguments are required for the SUM function?

These values can be numbers, cell references, ranges, arrays, and constants, in any combination. SUM can handle up to 255 individual arguments. The SUM function takes multiple arguments in the form number1, number2, number3, etc. up to 255 total.

What is Vlookup in Excel?

VLOOKUP stands for ‘Vertical Lookup’. It is a function that makes Excel search for a certain value in a column (the so called ‘table array’), in order to return a value from a different column in the same row.

What does spill mean in Excel?

#SPILL errors are returned when a formula returns multiple results, and Excel cannot return the results to the grid.

What is the third argument in an IF statement in Excel?

The IF Function has 3 arguments: Logical test. This is where we can compare data or see if a condition is met. Value if true.

What does the rand function do?

RAND returns an evenly distributed random real number greater than or equal to 0 and less than 1. A new random real number is returned every time the worksheet is calculated. Note: As of Excel 2010, Excel uses the Mersenne Twister algorithm (MT19937) to generate random numbers.

What is argument explain with example?

For example, consider the argument that because bats can fly (premise=true), and all flying creatures are birds (premise=false), therefore bats are birds (conclusion=false). If we assume the premises are true, the conclusion follows necessarily, and it is a valid argument.

Search for:

Arguments in Excel Functions are input values to an Excel Function. Most of the Excel Functions will take one or more arguments, will be used in the function programs as input data and return the outputs. For example, Trim Function will take a string as input (argument) and returned the output by removing the extra spaces from the string.

Data Types of Parameters

Optional Arguments

Required Arguments

Functions with no Arguments

Functions with One Arguments

Functions with Multiple Arguments

Arguments Separator

what is an argument in excel

how to separate arguments in excel

what is an optional argument in excel

what are the values inside the parentheses of a function known as in excel

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what does the excel argument nper refer to?

what symbol is placed between arguments in a formula

the arguments inside the parentheses of a function provide what purpose

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Arguments are the values that functions use to perform calculations. In spreadsheet programs such as Excel and Google Sheets, functions are just built-in formulas that carry out set calculations and most of these functions require data to be entered, either by the user or another source, in order to return a result.

Function Syntax

A function’s syntax refers to the layout of the function and includes the function’s name, parenthesis, comma separators, and its arguments.

The arguments are always surrounded by parentheses and individual arguments are separated by commas.

A simple example, shown in the image above, is the SUM function, which can be used to sum or total long columns or rows of numbers. The syntax for this function is:

SUM (Number1, Number2, ... Number255)

The arguments for this function are:

Number1, Number2, ... Number255

Number of Arguments

The number of arguments that a function requires varies with the function. The SUM function can have up to 255 arguments, but only one is required — the Number1 argument. The remainder are optional.​

The OFFSET function, meanwhile, has three required arguments and two optional ones.

Other functions, such as the NOW and TODAY functions, have no arguments but draw their data — the serial number or date — from the computer’s system clock. Even though no arguments are required by these functions, the parentheses, which are part of the function’s syntax, must still be included when entering the function.

Types of Data in Arguments

Like the number of arguments, the types of data that can be entered for an argument will vary depending upon the function.

In the case of the SUM function, as shown in the image above, the arguments must contain number data, but this data can be:

• the actual data being summed — the Number1 argument in the image above
• an individual cell reference to the location of the number data in the worksheet — the Number2 argument
• an array or range of cell references — the Number3 argument

Other types of data that can be used for arguments include:

• text data
• Boolean values
• error values
• other functions

Nesting Functions

It is common for one function to be entered as the argument for another function. This operation is known as nesting functions and it is done to extend the capabilities of the program in carrying out complex calculations.

For example, it is not uncommon for IF functions to be nested one inside the other as shown below.

=IF(A1 > 50,IF(A2 < 100, A1 * 10,A1 * 25)

In this example, the second or nested IF function is used as the Value_if_true argument of the first IF function and is used to test for a second condition, if the data in cell A2 is less than 100.

Since Excel 2007, 64 levels of nesting are permitted in formulas. Prior to that, only seven levels of nesting were supported.

Finding a Function’s Arguments

Two ways of finding the argument requirements for individual functions are:

• Open the function’s dialog box in Excel
• Tooltip windows in Excel and Google Sheets

Excel Function Dialog Boxes

The vast majority of functions in Excel have a dialog box, as shown for the SUM function in the image above, that lists the required and optional arguments for the function.

Opening a function’s dialog box can be done by:

• finding and clicking on a function’s name under the Formula tab of the ribbon;
• clicking on the Insert Function option located next to the formula bar, as indicated in the image above.

Tooltips: Typing a Function’s Name

Another way to find out a function’s arguments in Excel and in Google Sheets is to:

1. Select a cell.

2. Enter the equal sign to notify the program that a formula is being entered.

3. Enter the function’s name.

   As you type, the names of all functions starting with that letter appear in a tooltip below the active cell.

4. Enter an open parenthesis — the specified function and its arguments are listed in the tooltip.

In Excel, the tooltip window surrounds optional arguments with square brackets ([ ]). All others listed arguments are required.

In Google Sheets, the tooltip window does not differentiate between required and optional arguments. Instead, it includes an example as well as a summary of the function’s use and a description of each argument.

Thanks for letting us know!

Home / What is a Function in Excel

Home / What is a Function in Excel

What is a Function in Excel

In Excel, a function is a predefined formula that performs a specific calculation by using values a user input as arguments. Every Excel function has a specific purpose, in simple words, it calculates a specific value. Each function has its arguments (the value one needs to input) to get the result value in the cell.

Components

Each function has two major components. In short, each function (except a few) is made up of two following things:

• Function Name
• Arguments

Let me show you an example. Let’s take a look at the below function which we have inserted in the cell A1.

Now if you look at the formula bar you can understand the structure of the function by splitting it into two parts i.e. name and arguments.

Function Arguments

As I have already mentioned that in a function you need to specify input values to get the desired result. An argument is that value which you need to specify. If you look at the syntax of a function you can see there in each function there is set arguments to specify.

Below are the types of arguments:

• Required: A required argument is compulsory for a user to specify and without which a function can’t calculate its result.
• Optional: If you skip specifying these arguments it will not stop a function to calculate its result value.
• No Arguments: There are few functions (like NOW) where you don’t need to specify any argument.

How to INSERT a Function in Excel

The easiest way to insert a function in a cell in Excel is to type the name of the function you want to insert starting with equals to sign.

Let’s say you want to insert the SUM function:

• First of all, you need to type = and the then type SUM.
• After that, enter the opening parentheses.
• Specify the arguments (refer to a cell or you can directly enter values into the function).
• In the end, type closing parentheses and hit enter.

Major Types

Below are the major types:

• Text Functions: If you deal with data where you have text, then below are some of the functions which you need to learn to work efficiently.
• Date Functions: Dates are one of the major ingredients of data that you use every day, and helps you to analyze your data in a better way.
• Time Functions: Just like dates, time is could also be there in data and you can use time functions to deal with data where you have time values.
• Logical Functions: Logical functions can help you create some of the most helpful formula in your spreadsheet.
• Maths Functions: Excel is all about calculations and analysis, and mathematical functions and you can use these functions to get better in calculations and analysis.
• Statistical Functions: One of the best things about Excel is there are a bunch of statistical functions there that you can use to analyze data easily.
• Lookup Functions: In Excel, there some specific functions which can help you to look up a value or specific information about a cell or a range of cells.
• Information Function: These some specific functions which you can use to get information about the values you supplied.
• Financial Functions: These functions can help you calculate some of the common but important financial calculations in an easy way.

About the Author

Puneet is using Excel since his college days. He helped thousands of people to understand the power of the spreadsheets and learn Microsoft Excel. You can find him online, tweeting about Excel, on a running track, or sometimes hiking up a mountain.

Still cannot understand the functions and formulas in Excel or google sheets and trouble? The most basic excel or google sheets function parameters introduction, newcomers must see!

ABSTRACT

Our website introduces many basic uses of functions in Excel or google sheets as well as common examples from everyday life and work. We have also uploaded many articles on how to use functions to create formulas to solve common problems.

We found that, in fact, many people do not know much about Excel or google sheets functions, or a half-understanding, by reading our articles may solve the current problem, but they do not know how to use Excel or google sheets functions to create formulas when solving the problem, with what function? Which similar function to use? How to nest the formula? What is the input value? Why does it return an error?

We will have the above problems because we usually only think about how to quickly apply these functions as well as formulas to solve problems in a timely manner, and copy the formula directly to use it without thinking about how the formula works.

We will face a lot of problems, so before we learn Excel or google sheets functions and formulas, we must learn some basic concepts about functions and formulas, or a few basic elements that make up a function/formula. Then after understanding these basic concepts, you will really see how a formula is made up and what role each part plays in the formula.

– Arguments

Referring to the syntax structure of the function, each item in the function brackets is called an argument to the function. These arguments can be constants, cell reference, range reference, arrays, nested functions, etc. Next, we will introduce them according to different categories of arguments.

In the example below, number 1 and 2 are arguments to SUM function.

– Constants

Constant is an immutable value or data item. A constant can be a specified value, array, or character/string. In a normal Excel or google sheets formula, in addition to the value itself, you can also enter a cell reference or range reference that contains the value(s).

Note: Neither the formula nor the result calculated by the formula is a constant, because whenever the argument of the formula changes, it will affect the formula calculation and change the result.

In the example below, arguments 1 and 2 are entered manually, they are constants.

– Cell Reference & Range Reference

Cell reference and cell range reference are the most common arguments in Excel or google sheets functions. The purpose of the reference is to define the cell or range in the worksheet and specify the location of the data used by the formula or function, so that the function can easily use the data in various parts of the worksheet.

The values in cell references and range references can be static values, but they can also be dynamic values. The actual return value according to the change in the value of cell reference or range reference.

Cell Reference

In the example below, A2 and B2 are cell references. Number “1” is saved in cell reference A2, “2” is saved in cell B2. When selecting A2 in a function, that means number “1” in A2 is referenced.

A cell reference is delivered to function as its argument.

Range Reference

The entire selected multiple cells can be seen a range reference. In Excel or google sheets, for the common used lookup function VLOOKUP, its lookup range argument is usually entered with a range reference.

In the example below, A2:B2 is a range reference, it is one argument to SUM function not two arguments. This range reference contains an array actually. We will introduce array in the following paragraph.

When entering or typing function’s arguments, we can click on a single cell, or drag and drop to select multiple cells, in this way we can directly enter a cell reference or range reference.

We can also pre-define a name for a range reference in advance, in this way, we can enter this name directly as function’s argument when applying a function.

STEP 1: Name a range reference:

Formulas->Define Name, enter “Numbers” for selected range:

OR

Select A1:B2->Enter “Numbers” in Name Box:

STEP 2: Entering “Numbers” as argument.

As functions or formulas are often copied directly to other cells through drag-and-drop operations, usually, the reference will change automatically according to the cell location where the formula is located.

If you do not want to change the reference, we must add a dollar sign in front of the row or column index. For these two cases, we divided the reference into relative reference and absolute reference.

Relative Reference:

When dragging down the formula, A1:C1 is automatically updated to A2:C2.

Absolute Reference:

When dragging down the formula, $A$1:$C$1 is not changed. Because we add $ before row and column indexes, so range reference is locked.

Mixed Reference:

When dragging down the formula, for range reference $A$1:C1, $A$1 is locked, but C1 is updated from C1 to C2 as formula is copied down to D2.

– Array

Array, equivalent to our mathematical matrix, a matrix contains multiple elements, elements and different combinations of elements constitute a matrix of different dimensions.

In EXCLE workbook, the selected range can be expressed as an array, expressed as an N row * M column area, N and M are not 0.

The array formula is relative to the ordinary function formula; it has two characteristics.

1) Elements of the array are referenced by brackets {} and separated by commas or semicolons.

2) After entering an array formula, you must press Ctrl+Shift+Enter to load the result.

Example 1:

F1=SUM(A1:D1); A1:D1={1,2,3,4}; If all elements in on array are in one row, values are separated by comma.

Example 2:

F1=SUM(A1:A4); A1:A4={1;2;3;4}; If all elements in on array are in one column, values are separated by semicolon.

Example 3:

F1=SUM(A1:B2); A1:B2={1,2;3,4}; The array is a multidimensional array.

– Logical Values

There are TRUE and FALSE two logical values. In Excel or google sheets, IF function is a logical test function that returns the corresponding branch value based on the two logical values TRUE and FALSE.

Example:

If logical test value is TRUE, IF function returns “Yes” else returns “No”.

– Logical Operators

AND

Syntax: AND(logical1, logical2, …).

Description: Returns TRUE if all arguments are true; and If AND function detects an argument with a value of false, it returns false

Example:

If both conditions “N>3” and “M>5” are true, result is TRUE.

NOT

Syntax: NOT(logical)

Description: Find the opposite of a logical value or a logical expression. If you want to get the opposite of a logical value, you should use the NOT function.

Example:

Normally we can use IF function to create a logical test like =IF(A2>3,”TRUE”,”FALSE”) to return TRUE or FALSE result; Actually you can make it easier, you can also use “=NOT(A2>3)” to return the result of logical test “N<3”.

OR

Syntax: OR(logical1, logical2, …)

Description: Returns TRUE when any of the logical values is true.

Example:

If one of the conditions “N>3” and “M>5” is true, result is TRUE.

IF

The IF function is used to make logical judgments

Syntax: IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value_if_false)

Description: IF function performs a logical test which can return different results depending on the TRUE or FALSE of the logical expression.

Example:

Set “Yes” to logical test value of TRUE; Set “No” to logical test value of FALSE.

– Error Values

Sometimes we don’t get the value we want after pressing the Enter key, and formula returns error value instead. These values usually consist of “#error!”.

When we find that an error is returned, we need to understand the meaning of these errors, they can help us to know what the cause of the error is and how to solve the error.

Below is a list of common error values and solutions in Excel or google sheets function applications.

Error: #NAME?

Explanation: The function was entered incorrectly with unrecognized text. For example, the function name is spelled incorrectly, the quoted text is not quoted, and so on.

Solution: Check for spelling errors, quotation marks and brackets

Example1: Function name “SUM” is spelled incorrectly

Example2: Reference “Numbers” is missing

Error: #N/A

Explanation: The lookup range cannot be found when using some lookup functions in Excel workbook (for example, the VLOOKUP function cannot find the input lookup range, or the lookup value cannot be found in the first column of the lookup range).

Solution: Check if the lookup range has been entered incorrectly; make sure the lookup value is in the first column of the lookup range.

Example 1: Lookup ID doesn’t exist in lookup table A2:B6.

Example 2: Lookup value is incorrect; A is not listed in the first column of lookup table A2:B6.

Error: #DIV/0!

Description: Function or formula has a divisor equal to 0 or the divisor cell is empty.

Solution: Change the divisor to a non-zero value.

Example:

Error: #NUM!

Explanation: A non-numeric value has been entered in the numeric argument or is out of Excel’s calculation range.

Solution: Check the argument type and enter a valid type.

Error: #VALUE!

Explanation: Incorrect argument type entered, e.g., a number needs to be entered but text is entered, a value needs to be entered but multiple values are entered, etc. If it is an array formula, forget to press Control+Shift+Enter.

Solution: Check the argument type of the function and enter the correct type.

Example:

Divisor is “a”.

Error: #REF!

Explanation: Cell reference or range reference is invalid. For example, clear value in the cell reference which is used by the formula, then formula reports this error code.

Solution: make sure reference is correct; check if the cell reference or range reference is empty, and if it is, re-enter values into values.

Example:

Lookup table exists in sheet2, but sheet2 is deleted.

Error: #NULL!

Explanation: When multiple ranges are entered, the separator is incorrect; the intersection of multiple ranges is empty.

Solution: Change the separator; make the ranges intersect.

Example:

Separator is incorrect. It should be =SUM(A1:B1,A2:B2).

Resolution

We can move mouse over the warning icon to show the floating indication message.  

You can also click the icon to do the following operations.

– Nested Functions

In addition to the arguments listed above, functions can also be used as arguments to a function, this is called nested function. The value of this internal function will be delivered to the external function as an argument value.

Example:

SUM(A2:B2)>3 is an argument (logical test) to IF function.

This article introduces some basic concepts in Excel or google sheets function applications, which are the most basis information for new learners. You can bookmark this article so that you can refer to it when learning functions or building formulas.

15 Most Common Excel Functions You Must Know + How to Use Them

15 Most Common Excel Functions You Must Know + How to Use Them

Microsoft Excel is one of the most well-known computer applications. It has changed the way people and companies work with data.

Thus, learning Excel can help with both your career and your personal needs.

Excel runs using functions and there are roughly 500 of them! These range from basic arithmetic to complex statistics.

If you’re a new Excel user, this sheer quantity can be quite daunting.

So we are here to help you! 🤝

We have rounded up 15 of the most common and useful Excel functions that you need to learn. We also prepared a practice workbook for you to follow along with the examples. Download it here.

Let’s get started!

What are Excel functions?

Excel is used to calculate and manipulate numbers and text. To do this, you use formulas!

Formulas are expressions that tell Excel what you want to do with the data. They begin with the equal symbol (=) followed by a combination of operators and functions.

What are operators?

These are symbols that specify the type of calculation you want to perform on the elements of a formula.

For example, to add two numbers, you can type “=1+1” into a cell. Once you hit Enter, Excel will run the formula and return the result which is 2.

Here are some examples of common operators:

Excel automatically treats cell contents that start with (=) as formulas. This also applies when you begin a cell with the plus (+) or minus (-) symbols.

You can bypass this by adding a leading apostrophe (‘). This is how you can show formulas as text like in the table above.

Order of operation and using parentheses in Excel formulas

Generally, Excel follows PEMDAS when calculating formulas. PEMDAS means parentheses first, then exponents, then multiplication and division, then addition and subtraction.

What are functions?

These are predefined processes in Excel. Each function in Excel has a unique name and specific input(s). The function takes these inputs and performs the corresponding calculation.

The inputs or arguments of an Excel function are always enclosed in parentheses.

For example, this is the syntax for the MAX function:

=MAX(number1, [number2], …)

The list of numbers where you want to find the maximum value is placed inside the parentheses.

Using a cell or a range as input

As you learn more about Excel, you’ll find that Excel formulas rarely consist of individual numbers only like in the formula “=1+1”.

Thus, referencing cells is important in Excel and you can learn more by clicking here.

Alright! You’ve just learned how a function in Excel works.

Let’s dive right into the list! 🤿

We will start with basic Excel functions and then move on to more advanced functions.

Basic Math Functions (Beginner Level ★☆☆)

1. SUM

This is the first function in Excel that most new users need. As the name implies, the SUM function adds up all the values in a specified group of cells or range.

Syntax: =SUM(number1, [number2], …)

Try it out in the practice workbook.

If you want to get the total quiz score for each student, you can use the SUM function. In this case, the input range will be all four quiz scores for each student.

1. Type this formula into cell F2:

=SUM(B2:E2)

You can also type “=SUM(B2,C2,D2,E2)” but “=SUM(B2:E2)” is much simpler.

2. Press Enter. Excel then evaluates the formula and the cell returns the number for the total which is 360.

3. Copy this for the rest of the students or drag down the fill handle.

Notice that the SUM function ignores the cells containing text. (“X” meaning the student was unable to take the quiz)

Most of the basic math functions in Excel ignore non-numeric values such as text, date, and time.

2. COUNT

Next up is the COUNT function. It returns the number of cells containing numeric values within the input range.

Syntax: =COUNT(value1, [value2], …)

1. To get the number of quizzes taken by each student, use this formula in cell G2:

=COUNT(B2:E2)

2. Hit Enter and fill in the rows below.

If you would like to include non-numeric values in the count, you can use the COUNTA function. To count the number of blank cells, you can use the COUNTBLANK function.

Learn more about the COUNT function and its variants here.

3. AVERAGE

The average of a list of numbers is just the total divided by how many numbers there are in that list.

This is easy enough to calculate the quiz scores. You already have the SUM and the COUNT of quizzes for each student.

But, it gets even easier using the AVERAGE function in Excel.

Syntax: =AVERAGE (value1, [value2], …)

1. Type this into cell H2:

=AVERAGE(B2:E2)

2. Hit Enter and fill in the rows below.

Logical Functions (Intermediate Level – ★★☆)

Let’s raise the difficulty level a little bit.

A logical function in Excel allows you to make comparisons and use the results to change how a formula calculates.

4. IF

The IF function is a very popular function in Excel and it is actually quite easy to learn.

Syntax: =IF(logical_test, value_if_true, [value_if_false])

This function checks if a logical test is either TRUE or FALSE. It then returns the specified value based on the result.

Using the average score of each student, try to assign PASS or FAIL grades. Assume that the passing score for this class is 60.

1. Begin the formula in cell C2 with “=IF(“

The logical_test is to check if the average score in Column B is greater than or equal to (>=) the passing score of 60.

2. So, the formula becomes:

=IF(B2>=60,

If the comparison returns TRUE, then the formula should return the text “PASS”. Thus, the value_if_true argument should be “PASS”.

And if it returns FALSE, then the value_if_false argument should be “FAIL”.

3. Thus, the formula becomes:

=IF(B2>=60,”PASS”,”FAIL”)

4. Hit Enter and fill in the rows below.

What if you needed to assign grades according to a scale instead of just “PASS” and “FAIL”?

For that, you have to use multiple criteria or logical tests. While this is possible using nested IF functions, it can get messy very quickly. Instead, you can use the IFS function.

5. IFS function

The IFS function was introduced in Excel 2016 to replace nested IF functions.

This function works by evaluating the first logical test or criteria. It returns the corresponding value if it is TRUE. But if it is FALSE, the function proceeds to evaluate the second criteria, and so on.

📖 In other words, the IFS function outputs the value that corresponds to the first specified criteria that is true.

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

1. First, the formula should check if the average score (column B) is above or equal to 90. If yes, it should return “A”.

=IFS(B2>=90,”A”,

2. If not, it should then check if the average score is greater than or equal to 80. If yes, it should return “B”. If you do this up to grade D, the formula becomes:

=IFS(B2>=90,”A”,B2>=80,”B”,B2>=70,”C”,B2>=60,”D”,

3. For the last grade “F”, put “TRUE” for the logical test.

The IFS function will only evaluate the last specified criteria if all of the previous logical values were FALSE. Thus, you can set the last criteria to always be TRUE thus making it a “catch all” statement.

The final formula is then:

=IFS(B2>=90,”A”,B2>=80,”B”,B2>=70,”C”,B2>=60,”D”,TRUE,”F”)

PRO-TIP:

You can use absolute cell references and a reference table when working with long formulas.

That way, you don’t have to revisit all of the arguments in the formula if you need to change some values.

For example, using the table and formula shown below, you can easily change the grading scale in use.

=IFS(B2>=$H$2,$F$2,B2>=$H$3,$F$3,B2>
=$H$4,$F$4,B2>=$H$5,$F$5,TRUE,$F$6)

Text Functions (Intermediate Level – ★★☆)

In this next section, you will see how Excel can also be used to manipulate text.

In the “Class List” worksheet of the practice workbook, the full name of each student is listed in Column A. Your goal is to rearrange these from “first name last name” to “last name_first name” in Column F.

To do this, you first have to extract the first name and the last name from Column A.

6. FIND

The names are separated by a space character ” “. So, you have to identify the position of the space within each text string in Column A.

The FIND function in Excel returns the number or position of a specified character or substring within another text string.

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

To get the position of the space ” “, type this formula:

=FIND(” “,A2)

Next, take a look at the LEN function.

7. LEN

This function returns the number of characters in a text string.

Syntax: =LEN(text)

To get the number of characters in each student’s name:

=LEN(A2)

Now you can move on to extracting the first and last name using the MID function in Excel.

8. MID

This function extracts a given number of characters from the middle of a text string.

Syntax: = MID(text, start_num, num_chars)

It is one of three text functions that are used to extract text. The other two are LEFT and RIGHT which extract text from the start and end of a text string respectively.

The first name starts at the very first character of the text string. So, you extract starting from position 1. Then the length of the first name is given by the position of the space character minus 1.

So, the formula to extract the first name or first word from a text string is:

=MID(A2,1,B2-1)

Or, you can express it directly using the FIND formula earlier.

=MID(A2,1,FIND(” “,A2)-1)

For the last name, you can extract it starting from the position of the space character plus 1. Its length is just the length of the entire text string minus the position of the space character.

=MID(A2,B2+1,C2-B2)

Or, using the FIND and LEN formulas earlier:

=MID(A2,FIND(” “,A2)+1,LEN(A2)-FIND(” “,A2))

Now you can combine the last name and the first name in the desired order using the CONCAT function.

9. CONCAT

Like IFS, CONCAT is another newly introduced function in Excel 2016. It replaced the old CONCATENATE function.

Syntax: =CONCAT(text1, [text2],…)

Combine the last name and the first name with a comma and space character “, ” in between.

=CONCAT(E2,”, “,D2)

PRO-TIP:

In the above example, you used helper columns for FIND, LEN, and MID to help build the final formula and visualize how it works.

In real-world applications, you can use a single long formula to get the results like this:

=CONCAT(MID(A2,FIND(” “,A2)+1,LEN(A2)
-FIND(” “,A2)),”, “,MID(A2,1,FIND(” “,A2)-1))

Lookup and Reference Functions (Advanced Level – ★★★)

In this final section, we will focus on functions that allow you to look for specific data points and refer to them.

Take a look at the “Schedule” worksheet.

10. COLUMN

The COLUMN function in Excel returns the column number of a given cell.

Syntax: =COLUMN([reference])

Let’s try to assign specific dates for each quiz. For example, you may want the quizzes to be held every Monday. This means that the first quiz date should be offset by 1 week or 7 days for each succeeding quiz date.

You can use the column number to multiply the 7 days offset for each week like this:

=$B$2+(COLUMN()-2)*7

Two (2) is subtracted from the column number so that the sequence starts at 1.

You can also get this result using the much simpler “=B2+7” since you are only adding a fixed number of days to each date. 🤔

But, using the COLUMN function, you can create complex patterns.

Take this pattern for example:

The quizzes are still held every Monday. But every third week, they are held on Wednesday instead.

Here is the formula for this pattern:

=$B$2+(COLUMN()-2)*7+IF(MOD(COLUMN()-1,3)=0,2,0)

The MOD function in Excel returns the remainder after a number is divided by a given divisor. It’s part of the Math & Trig group of functions.

This group includes other fun functions such as ABS which returns the absolute value of a number and ROUND which rounds a number to a specified number of digits.

Learn more about the function groups towards the end of this article!

Kasper Langmann, Microsoft Office Specialist

11. ROW

Next, take a look at the ROW function. It works exactly like COLUMN but it returns the row number instead.

Syntax: =ROW([reference])

In this next example, you will assign the seating plans. You can try different seating arrangements using the ROW function.

Assume R1C1 is the seat closest to the teacher’s desk.

1. You can have the students seated one seat after another and in two columns:

=CONCAT(“R”,MOD(ROW()-6,3)*2+1,”C”,INT((ROW()-6)/3)*2+1)

2. Or they can sit in rows of 3 and columns of 2

=CONCAT(“R”,MOD(ROW()-6,2)*2+1,”C”,INT((ROW()-6)/2)*2+1)

3. You can also sit them in the farthest rows:

=CONCAT(“R”,MOD(ROW()-6,2)*4+1,”C”,INT((ROW()-6)/2)*2+1)

4. Or in the farthest columns:

=CONCAT(“R”,MOD(ROW()-6,3)*2+1,”C”,INT((ROW()-6)/3)*4+1)

Manually creating seating patterns for small sets like this one is easy. But a formula like those shown above definitely helps especially for larger sets like 50, 100, or even more.

The COLUMN and ROW functions are rarely used on their own. Like IF and IFS, you use them with other functions to change how the formula is calculated.

12. MATCH

Now, open up the “Lookup” worksheet.

In the next few examples, you will create a search feature that allows students to look up their names. They can then see their scores from past quizzes and their assigned seats for the next quizzes.

To start, you will use the MATCH function. It searches for a specified item within a given range of cells. It then returns the relative position of the first match.

Syntax: =MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_type])

1. The lookup_value is the item you want to search for. So, set this to cell B2.
2. The lookup_array is the range or table array where you want to search. Use F2:F7 from the “Class List” worksheet.
3. For the match_type, set this to zero so that the function searches for an exact match. (Learn more about MATCH and the different match types in this article)

The formula then becomes:

=MATCH(B2,’Class List’!F2:F7,0)

However, it only works correctly if the name is entered exactly as it is written in Column F of the Class List.

To fix this, you can use the asterisk “*” wildcard character so that searching for either first or last name works.

You can also enclose the formula in an IFNA function. This way, if the formula cannot find the given name in the table, it will return a phrase like “No result found”.

13. INDEX

The INDEX function retrieves a value from a given table array based on the provided row and column numbers.

Syntax: =INDEX (array, row_num, [col_num])

Similar to the MATCH example, you need to specify where the range or array lookup is.

For row_num, you can use the earlier MATCH result at Cell B5. Then for col_num, use 1 for the First Name:

=INDEX(‘Class List’!D2:E7,B5,1)

And set col_num to 2 for the Last Name.

=INDEX(‘Class List’!D2:E7,B5,2)

Just like that, you have a working search 🔍 formula!

This is just a small example of the countless possibilities using the INDEX and MATCH combination. Click here for more examples!

14. VLOOKUP

The VLOOKUP function in Excel works similarly to the INDEX and MATCH combination. It is faster to set up but it is less versatile. VLOOKUP also only works if your lookup array is at the leftmost of the reference table.

Syntax: =VLOOKUP (lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])

This time, you will use the First Name result (cell B6) as the lookup_value. Use this and VLOOKUP to retrieve the given student’s scores from the “Quiz Scores” worksheet.

=VLOOKUP($B$6,’Quiz Scores’!$A$2:$E$7,COLUMN(),FALSE)

For the seat assignment, use the Last Name result followed by the asterisk wild character.

=VLOOKUP($B$7&”*”,Schedule!$A$6:$E$11,COLUMN(),FALSE)

15. INDIRECT

The last function that you will be learning about today is also one of the most powerful in Excel.

INDIRECT allows you to specify cell references using text strings.

SYNTAX: =INDIRECT(ref_text, [a1])

For example, instead of typing “=A1”, you can type “=INDIRECT(“A”&1). This means you can dynamically change references.

Let’s take the INDEX & MATCH formula you used to retrieve the Last Name. You can get the same result using this formula:

=INDIRECT(“‘Class List’!”&”E”&(B5+1))

The INDIRECT function opens up so many possibilities with dynamic references in Excel. I highly this article for an in-depth tutorial on INDIRECT.

That’s it – Now what?

As you have just learned, Excel offers so many different functions to choose from. Luckily, Excel has brought them all together in the Formulas tab.

You can look for an Excel function using search keywords or you can also select from the categorical dropdowns.

For example, click on the Financial group to find functions that can help you calculate items like net present value, future value, cumulative interest paid, cumulative principal paid, etc.

You can also click on More Functions which opens up even more possibilities for advanced Excel formulas.

For example, the Statistical group is useful if you need to calculate a statistical value. This includes functions for maximum value, minimum value, forecast value, gamma function value, etc. You can insert a cumulative distribution function and other useful tools for data analysis.

Learn how to use these formulas and more by signing up for my free online Excel course.

We will help you make the most out of your Excel experience! 📈

Other relevant resources

If you enjoyed this article, you can visit my YouTube channel for more in-depth tutorials and other fun stuff!

Did you know that the Flash Fill feature can help speed up your work by automatically filling a repetitive pattern Excel detects from your data? Learn more here.

Thanks for reading! 😄

Kasper Langmann2023-02-23T11:47:15+00:00