Columns functions in excel

This article describes the formula syntax and usage of the COLUMNS
 function in Microsoft Excel.

Description

Returns the number of columns in an array or reference.

Syntax

COLUMNS(array)

The COLUMNS function syntax has the following argument:

• Array    Required. An array or array formula, or a reference to a range of cells for which you want the number of columns.

Example

Copy the example data in the following table, and paste it in cell A1 of a new Excel worksheet. For formulas to show results, select them, press F2, and then press Enter. If you need to, you can adjust the column widths to see all the data.

Formula	Description	Result
=COLUMNS(C1:E4)	Number of columns in the reference C1:E4.	3
=COLUMNS({1,2,3;4,5,6})	Number of columns in the array constant {1,2,3;4,5,6}. There are two 3-column rows, containing 1,2, and 3 in the first row and 4,5, and 6 in the second row.	3

Date yes Add (Subtract) Days to a Date Concatenate Dates Convert Date to Number Convert Date to Text Month Name to Number Create Date Range from Dates Day Number of Year Month Name from Date First Day of Month Add (Subtract) Weeks to a Date If Functions with Dates Max Date Number of Days Between Dates Number of Days in a Month Number of Weeks Between Dates Number of Years Between Dates Split Date & Time into Separate Cells Countdown Remaining Days Insert Dates Random Date Generator Using Dynamic Ranges — Year to Date Values Add (Subtract) Years to a Date Date Formula Examples Extract Day from Date Get Day Name from Date Count Days Left in Month / Year Count Workdays Left in Month / Year Get Last Day of Month Last Business Day of Month / Year Number of Work / Business Days in Month Weekday Abbreviations Auto Populate Dates Number of Months Between Dates Quarter from a Date Years of Service Change Date Format Compare Dates Time yes Add (Subtract) Hours to Time Add (Subtract) Minutes to Time Add (Subtract) Seconds to Time Add Up time (Total Time) Time Differences Change Time Format Convert Minutes to Hours Convert Time to Decimal Convert Time to Hours Convert Time to Minutes Convert Time to Seconds Military Time Round Time to Nearest 15 Minutes Overtime Calculator Number of Hours Between Times Convert Seconds to Minutes, Hours, or Time Count Hours Worked Time Differences Time Format — Show Minutes Seconds Text yes Add Commas to Cells Get First Word from Text Capitalize First Letter Clean & Format Phone #s Remove Extra Trailing / Leading Spaces Add Spaces to Cell Assign Number Value to Text Combine Cells with Comma Combine First and Last Names Convert Text String to Date Convert Text to Number Extract Text From Cell Get Last Word Remove Unwated Characters Extract Text Before or After Character How to Split Text String by Space, Comma, & More Remove Special Characters Remove First Characters from Left Substitute Multiple Values Switch First & Last Names w/ Commas Remove Specific Text from a Cell Extract Text Between Characters (Ex. Parenthesis) Add Leading Zeros to a Number Remove Line Breaks from Text Remove all Numbers from Text Reverse Text Remove Non-Numeric Characters Remove Last Character(s) From Right Separate First and Last Names Separate Text & Numbers Round yes Round Formulas Round Price to Nearest Dollar or Cent Round to Nearest 10, 100, or 1000 Round to Nearest 5 or .5 Round Percentages Round to Significant Figures Count yes Count Blank and Non-blank Cells Count Cells Between Two Numbers Count Cells not Equal to Count if Cells are in Range Count Times Word Appears in Cell Count Words in Cell Count Specific Characters in Column Count Total Number of Characters in Column Count Cells that Equal one of two Results Count Cells that do not Contain Count Cells that Contain Specific Text Count Unique Values in Range Countif — Multiple Criteria Count Total Number of Cells in Range Count Cells with Any Text Count Total Cells in a Table Lookup yes Two Dimensional VLOOKUP VLOOKUP Simple Example Vlookup — Multiple Matches Case Sensitive Lookup Case Sensitive VLOOKUP Sum if — VLOOKUP Case Sensitive Lookup Case Sensitive VLOOKUP Find Duplicates w/ VLOOKUP or MATCH INDEX MATCH MATCH Lookup — Return Cell Address (Not Value) Lookup Last Value in Column or Row Reverse VLOOKUP (Right to Left) Risk Score Bucket with VLOOKUP Sum with a VLOOKUP Function VLOOKUP & INDIRECT VLOOKUP Concatenate VLOOKUP Contains (Partial Match) 17 Reasons Why Your XLOOKUP is Not Working Double (Nested) XLOOKUP — Dynamic Columns IFERROR (& IFNA) XLOOKUP Lookup Min / Max Value Nested VLOOKUP Top 11 Alternatives to VLOOKUP (Updated 2022!) VLOOKUP – Dynamic Column Reference VLOOKUP – Fix #N/A Error VLOOKUP – Multiple Sheets at Once VLOOKUP & HLOOKUP Combined VLOOKUP & MATCH Combined VLOOKUP Between Worksheets or Spreadsheets VLOOKUP Duplicate Values VLOOKUP Letter Grades VLOOKUP Return Multiple Columns VLOOKUP Returns 0? Return Blank Instead VLOOKUP w/o #N/A Error XLOOKUP Multiple Sheets at Once XLOOKUP Between Worksheets or Spreadsheets XLOOKUP by Date XLOOKUP Duplicate Values XLOOKUP Multiple Criteria XLOOKUP Return Multiple Columns XLOOKUP Returns 0? Return Blank Instead XLOOKUP Text XLOOKUP with IF XLOOKUP With If Statement Misc. yes Sort Multiple Columns Use Cell Value in Formula Percentage Change Between Numbers Percentage Breakdown Rank Values Add Spaces to Cell CAGR Formula Average Time Decimal Part of Number Integer Part of a Number Compare Items in a List Dealing with NA() Errors Get Worksheet Name Wildcard Characters Hyperlink to Current Folder Compound Interest Formula Percentage Increase Create Random Groups Sort with the Small and Large Functions Non-volatile Function Alternatives Decrease a Number by a Percentage Calculate Percent Variance Profit Margin Calculator Convert Column Number to Letter Get Full Address of Named Range Insert File Name Insert Path Latitute / Longitude Functions Replace Negative Values Reverse List Range Convert State Name to Abbreviation Create Dynamic Hyperlinks Custom Sort List with Formula Data Validation — Custom Formulas Dynamic Sheet Reference (INDIRECT) Reference Cell in Another Sheet or Workbook Get Cell Value by Address Get Worksheet Name Increment Cell Reference List Sheet Names List Skipped Numbers in Sequence Return Address of Max Value in Range Search by Keywords Select Every Other (or Every nth) Row Basics yes Cell Reference Basics — A1, R1C1, 3d, etc. Add Up (Sum) Entire Column or Row Into to Dynamic Array Formulas Conversions yes Convert Time Zones Convert Celsius to Fahrenheit Convert Pounds to Kilograms Convert Time to Unix Time Convert Feet to Meters Convert Centimeters to Inches Convert Kilometers to Miles Convert Inches to Feet Convert Date to Julian Format Convert Column Letter to Number Tests yes Test if a Range Contains any Text Test if any Cell in Range is Number Test if a Cell Contains a Specific Value Test if Cell Contains Any Number Test if Cell Contains Specific Number Test if Cell is Number or Text If yes Percentile If Subtotal If Sumproduct If Large If and Small If Median If Concatentate If Max If Rank If TEXTJOIN If Sum yes Sum if — Begins With / Ends With Sum if — Month or Year to Date Sum if — By Year Sum if — Blank / Non-Blank Sum if — Horizontal Sum Count / Sum If — Cell Color INDIRECT Sum Sum If — Across Multiple Sheets Sum If — By Month Sum If — Cells Not Equal To Sum If — Not Blank Sum if — Between Values Sum If — Week Number Sum Text Sum if — By Category or Group Sum if — Cell Contains Specific Text (Wildcards) Sum if — Date Rnage Sum if — Dates Equal Sum if — Day of Week Sum if — Greater Than Sum if — Less Than Average yes Average Non-Zero Values Average If — Not Blank Average — Ignore 0 Average — Ignore Errors Math yes Multiplication Table Cube Roots nth Roots Square Numbers Square Roots Calculations yes Calculate a Ratio Calculate Age KILLLLLLL Calculate Loan Payments GPA Formula Calculate VAT Tax How to Grade Formulas Find yes Find a Number in a Column / Workbook Find Most Frequent Numbers Find Smallest n Values Find nth Occurance of Character in Text Find and Extract Number from String Find Earliest or Latest Date Based on Criteria Find First Cell with Any Value Find Last Row Find Last Row with Data Find Missing Values Find Largest n Values Most Frequent Number Conditional Formatting yes Conditional Format — Dates & Times Conditional Format — Highlight Blank Cells New Functions XLOOKUP Replaces VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, and INDEX / MATCH Logical yes AND Checks whether all conditions are met. TRUE/FALSE IF If condition is met, do something, if not, do something else. IFERROR If result is an error then do something else. NOT Changes TRUE to FALSE and FALSE to TRUE. OR Checks whether any conditions are met. TRUE/FALSE XOR Checks whether one and only one condition is met. TRUE/FALSE Lookup & Reference yes FALSE The logical value: FALSE. TRUE The logical value: TRUE. ADDRESS Returns a cell address as text. AREAS Returns the number of areas in a reference. CHOOSE Chooses a value from a list based on it’s position number. COLUMN Returns the column number of a cell reference. COLUMNS Returns the number of columns in an array. HLOOKUP Lookup a value in the first row and return a value. HYPERLINK Creates a clickable link. INDEX Returns a value based on it’s column and row numbers. INDIRECT Creates a cell reference from text. LOOKUP Looks up values either horizontally or vertically. MATCH Searches for a value in a list and returns its position. OFFSET Creates a reference offset from a starting point. ROW Returns the row number of a cell reference. ROWS Returns the number of rows in an array. TRANSPOSE Flips the oriention of a range of cells. VLOOKUP Lookup a value in the first column and return a value. Date & Time yes DATE Returns a date from year, month, and day. DATEDIF Number of days, months or years between two dates. DATEVALUE Converts a date stored as text into a valid date DAY Returns the day as a number (1-31). DAYS Returns the number of days between two dates. DAYS360 Returns days between 2 dates in a 360 day year. EDATE Returns a date, n months away from a start date. EOMONTH Returns the last day of the month, n months away date. HOUR Returns the hour as a number (0-23). MINUTE Returns the minute as a number (0-59). MONTH Returns the month as a number (1-12). NETWORKDAYS Number of working days between 2 dates. NETWORKDAYS.INTL Working days between 2 dates, custom weekends. NOW Returns the current date and time. SECOND Returns the second as a number (0-59) TIME Returns the time from a hour, minute, and second. TIMEVALUE Converts a time stored as text into a valid time. TODAY Returns the current date. WEEKDAY Returns the day of the week as a number (1-7). WEEKNUM Returns the week number in a year (1-52). WORKDAY The date n working days from a date. WORKDAY.INTL The date n working days from a date, custom weekends. YEAR Returns the year. YEARFRAC Returns the fraction of a year between 2 dates. Engineering yes CONVERT Convert number from one unit to another. Financial yes FV Calculates the future value. PV Calculates the present value. NPER Calculates the total number of payment periods. PMT Calculates the payment amount. RATE Calculates the interest Rate. NPV Calculates the net present value. IRR The internal rate of return for a set of periodic CFs. XIRR The internal rate of return for a set of non-periodic CFs. PRICE Calculates the price of a bond. YIELD Calculates the bond yield. INTRATE The interest rate of a fully invested security. Information yes CELL Returns information about a cell. ERROR.TYPE Returns a value representing the cell error. ISBLANK Test if cell is blank. TRUE/FALSE ISERR Test if cell value is an error, ignores #N/A. TRUE/FALSE ISERROR Test if cell value is an error. TRUE/FALSE ISEVEN Test if cell value is even. TRUE/FALSE ISFORMULA Test if cell is a formula. TRUE/FALSE ISLOGICAL Test if cell is logical (TRUE or FALSE). TRUE/FALSE ISNA Test if cell value is #N/A. TRUE/FALSE ISNONTEXT Test if cell is not text (blank cells are not text). TRUE/FALSE ISNUMBER Test if cell is a number. TRUE/FALSE ISODD Test if cell value is odd. TRUE/FALSE ISREF Test if cell value is a reference. TRUE/FALSE ISTEXT Test if cell is text. TRUE/FALSE N Converts a value to a number. NA Returns the error: #N/A. TYPE Returns the type of value in a cell. Math yes ABS Calculates the absolute value of a number. AGGREGATE Define and perform calculations for a database or a list. CEILING Rounds a number up, to the nearest specified multiple. COS Returns the cosine of an angle. DEGREES Converts radians to degrees. DSUM Sums database records that meet certain criteria. EVEN Rounds to the nearest even integer. EXP Calculates the exponential value for a given number. FACT Returns the factorial. FLOOR Rounds a number down, to the nearest specified multiple. GCD Returns the greatest common divisor. INT Rounds a number down to the nearest integer. LCM Returns the least common multiple. LN Returns the natural logarithm of a number. LOG Returns the logarithm of a number to a specified base. LOG10 Returns the base-10 logarithm of a number. MOD Returns the remainder after dividing. MROUND Rounds a number to a specified multiple. ODD Rounds to the nearest odd integer. PI The value of PI. POWER Calculates a number raised to a power. PRODUCT Multiplies an array of numbers. QUOTIENT Returns the integer result of division. RADIANS Converts an angle into radians. RAND Calculates a random number between 0 and 1. RANDBETWEEN Calculates a random number between two numbers. ROUND Rounds a number to a specified number of digits. ROUNDDOWN Rounds a number down (towards zero). ROUNDUP Rounds a number up (away from zero). SIGN Returns the sign of a number. SIN Returns the sine of an angle. SQRT Calculates the square root of a number. SUBTOTAL Returns a summary statistic for a series of data. SUM Adds numbers together. SUMIF Sums numbers that meet a criteria. SUMIFS Sums numbers that meet multiple criteria. SUMPRODUCT Multiplies arrays of numbers and sums the resultant array. TAN Returns the tangent of an angle. TRUNC Truncates a number to a specific number of digits. Stats yes AVERAGE Averages numbers. AVERAGEA Averages numbers. Includes text & FALSE =0, TRUE =1. AVERAGEIF Averages numbers that meet a criteria. AVERAGEIFS Averages numbers that meet multiple criteria. CORREL Calculates the correlation of two series. COUNT Counts cells that contain a number. COUNTA Count cells that are non-blank. COUNTBLANK Counts cells that are blank. COUNTIF Counts cells that meet a criteria. COUNTIFS Counts cells that meet multiple criteria. FORECAST Predict future y-values from linear trend line. FREQUENCY Counts values that fall within specified ranges. GROWTH Calculates Y values based on exponential growth. INTERCEPT Calculates the Y intercept for a best-fit line. LARGE Returns the kth largest value. LINEST Returns statistics about a trendline. MAX Returns the largest number. MEDIAN Returns the median number. MIN Returns the smallest number. MODE Returns the most common number. PERCENTILE Returns the kth percentile. PERCENTILE.INC Returns the kth percentile. Where k is inclusive. PERCENTILE.EXC Returns the kth percentile. Where k is exclusive. QUARTILE Returns the specified quartile value. QUARTILE.INC Returns the specified quartile value. Inclusive. QUARTILE.EXC Returns the specified quartile value. Exclusive. RANK Rank of a number within a series. RANK.AVG Rank of a number within a series. Averages. RANK.EQ Rank of a number within a series. Top Rank. SLOPE Calculates the slope from linear regression. SMALL Returns the kth smallest value. STDEV Calculates the standard deviation. STDEV.P Calculates the SD of an entire population. STDEV.S Calculates the SD of a sample. STDEVP Calculates the SD of an entire population TREND Calculates Y values based on a trendline. Text yes CHAR Returns a character specified by a code. CLEAN Removes all non-printable characters. CODE Returns the numeric code for a character. CONCATENATE Combines text together. DOLLAR Converts a number to text in currency format. EXACT Test if cells are exactly equal. Case-sensitive. TRUE/FALSE FIND Locates position of text within a cell.Case-sensitive. LEFT Truncates text a number of characters from the left. LEN Counts number of characters in text. LOWER Converts text to lower case. MID Extracts text from the middle of a cell. PROPER Converts text to proper case. REPLACE Replaces text based on it’s location. REPT Repeats text a number of times. RIGHT Truncates text a number of characters from the right. SEARCH Locates position of text within a cell.Not Case-sensitive. SUBSTITUTE Finds and replaces text. Case-sensitive. TEXT Converts a value into text with a specific number format. TRIM Removes all extra spaces from text. UPPER Converts text to upper case. VALUE Converts a number stored as text into a number.

Excel COLUMNS Function (Example + Video)

When to use Excel COLUMNS Function

Excel COLUMNS function can be used when you want to get the number of columns in a specified range or array.

What it Returns

It returns a number that represents the total number of columns in the specified range or array.

Syntax

=COLUMNS(array)

Input Arguments

• array – it could be an array, an array formula or a reference to a contiguous range of cells.

Additional Notes

• Even if the array contains multiple rows and columns, only the columns are counted. For example:

  • COLUMNS(A1:B1) returns 2.

  • COLUMNS(A1:B100) also returns 2.

• This formula can be useful when you want to get a sequence of numbers as you go to the right in your worksheet.
  • For example, if you want 1 in A1, 2 in B1, 3 in C1 and so on, use the following formula =COLUMNS($A$1:A1). As you would drag this to the right, the reference inside it would change and the number of columns in the reference would get incremented by one. For example, when you drag it to column B1, the formula becomes COLUMNS($A$1:B1) which then returns 2.

Excel COLUMNS Function – Examples

Here are two examples of using the Excel COLUMNS function.

Example 1: Finding the number of Columns in an Array

In the example above, =COLUMNS(A1:A1) returns 1 as it covers one row (which is A1). Similarly, =COLUMNS(A1:C1) returns 3 as the array A1:C1 covers four columns in it.

Also, note that it only counts the number of columns. Hence, whether the array is A1:C1, or A1:C5, it would return 3 in both the cases.

Example 2: Getting a Sequence of Numbers in a Column

Excel COLUMNS function can be used to get a sequence of numbers. Since the first reference is fixed, as you copy the formula down, the second reference changes and so does the row numbers in the array.

Excel COLUMNS Function – Video Tutorial

Related Excel Functions:

• Excel COLUMN Function.
• Excel ROW Function.
• Excel ROWS Function

Other articles you may also like:

• Row vs Column in Excel – What’s the Difference?

In this article, we are going to see the details about Excel ROW, ROWS, COLUMN, COLUMNS functions, and their usages.

ROW Function 

The ROW( ) function basically returns the row number for a reference. 

Syntax:

=ROW([reference])

Example :

=ROW(G100); Returns 100 as output 
as G100 is in the 100th row in the Excel sheet

If we write no argument inside the ROW( ) it will return the row number of the cell in which we have written the formula.

Here the following returns are achieved:

=ROW(A67) // Returns 67
=ROW(B4:H7) // Returns 4

ROWS Function 

It is the extended version of the ROW function. ROWS function is used to return the number of rows in a cell range. 

Syntax:

=ROWS([array])

Example :

=ROWS(A2:A11) // Returns 10 as there are ten rows

It is important to note that writing the column name is trivial here. We can also write :

=ROWS(2:13) // Returns 12

COLUMN Function

The column function usually returns the column number of a reference. There are 16,384 columns in Excel from the 2007 version. It returns the value 1 to 16,384.

Syntax:

=COLUMN([reference])

Example :

=COLUMN(E20) // Returns 5 as output
as E is the fifth column in the Excel sheet

Similar to the ROW function, the argument is not mandatory. If we don’t write any argument, it will return the index of the column in which the formula is written.

COLUMNS Function

It is the extended version of the COLUMN( ). It returns the number of columns for a given cell range.

Syntax:

=COLUMNS([array])

Example :

=COLUMNS(B12:E12) // Returns 4 as output as
there are 4 columns in the given range

It is important to note that writing the row number is trivial here. We can also write :

=COLUMNS(B:E) // Returns 4

ROWS And COLUMNS Functions in Array Formulas

We can use the ROWS( ) and COLUMNS( ) in array formulas using SMALL( ), LARGE( ), VLOOKUP( ) functions in Excel.

Example :

The smallest value is returned to the provided cell range.

The largest value is returned to the provided cell range.

Say, we need to find the number of days needed to complete Task number 5. 

The steps are :

Step 1: Choose any cell and write the name of the Task.

Step 2:  Beside that cell write the “Formula” as shown below to get the “Number of Days” need :

=VLOOKUP($F$3,$A$3:$B$13,COLUMNS($A$3:$B$13),0)

F3 : Reference of the Task T-5

A3:B13 : Cell range of the entire table for VLOOKUP to search

Step 3: Click Enter.

Now, it can be observed it returns 20 as output which is perfect as per the data set.

Functions are an important part of Excel and assist in calculating many data for many users. Column functions and Columns functions are Lookup and Reference functions in Microsoft Excel.

The Column function returns the column number of a reference, and its formula is Column([reference]).
The syntax for the Column function is:

Column

Reference: The cell or range of cells or range of cells for which you want to return the column number. It is optional.

The Columns function returns the number of columns in a reference, and its formula is Columns(array).
The syntax for the Columns function is:

Columns

Array: An array or array formula, or a reference to a range of cells for which you want the number of columns. It is required.

Launch Microsoft Excel.

Type into the cell A1, =Column().

Then press Enter.

You will notice that the cell will return the cell number of the cell that contains the formula.

Type into any of the cells in your spreadsheet =Column(D4).

Then press Enter, and the result would be 4 because the D column number is 4.

Type into any of the cells in your spreadsheet =Column(=COLUMN(F1:H5).

Then press Enter, and the result would be 6,7, and 8.

There are two other methods to use the Column function.

Method one is to click the fx button on the top left of the Excel worksheet.

An Insert Function dialog box will appear.

Inside the dialog box, in the section Select a Category, select  Lookup and Reference from the list box.

In the section Select a Function, choose the Column function from the list.

Then click OK.

A Function Arguments dialog box will open.

In the Reference entry box, type cell F1:H5.

Then click OK.

Method two is to click the Formulas tab and click the Lookup and Reference button in the Function Library group.

Then select Column from the drop-down menu.

A Function Arguments dialog box will open.

Follow the same method in Method 1.

Then click Ok.

How to use the Excel Columns function

Type into any of the cells =COLUMNS(D1:E8).

Then press Enter.

The result is 2 because it is the number of columns in the reference.

Type into any of the cells in your spreadsheet =COLUMNS({1,2,3,4,5}).

Then press Enter, and the result would be 5 because it gives the column count for an array constant.

There are two other methods to use the Columns function.

Method one is to click the fx button on the top left of the Excel worksheet.

An Insert Function dialog box will appear.

Inside the dialog box, in the section Select a Category, select  Lookup and Reference from the list box.

In the section Select a Function, choose the Columns function from the list.

Then click OK.

A Function Arguments dialog box will open.

In the Reference entry box, type cell {1,2,,4,5}.

Then click OK.

Method two is to click the Formulas tab and click the Lookup and Reference button in the Function Library group.

Then select Columns from the drop-down menu.

A Function Arguments dialog box will open.

Follow the same method in Method 1.

Then click Ok.

READ: How to use the PROPER function in Excel

What is Column in Excel?

In Microsoft Excel, a column runs horizontally and is in as an Alphabetical letter header on the top of the spreadsheet. Excel spreadsheet can have 16,384 columns in total. The data goes from up and down.

READ: How to use the SUMSQ function in Excel

How do I write in a Column in Excel?

If you want to insert a column in Excel, click the column and click insert in the context menu.  A column will appear. To type under the column header, click in the row under the column and type your data.

We hope this tutorial helps you understand how to use the Column and Columns function in Microsoft Excel; if you have questions about the tutorial, let us know in the comments.

In this article, we will discuss the “Columns Function” in Excel and “how to apply a function to a column in Excel”, a useful tool that allows you to manipulate data in various ways. Microsoft Excel is a powerful tool millions worldwide use to manage, analyze and interpret data. One of its most powerful features is the Columns Function, which allows users to manipulate data in many ways. This function can be used to perform a variety of tasks, from sorting and filtering data to calculating totals and averages.

You’ve come to the right place if you’re new to Excel or want to learn more about using the Columns Function effectively. In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know to master this powerful tool, including tips, tricks, and common pitfalls to avoid. As a business owner or data analyst, you know how important it is to have accurate and organized data. Excel’s Columns function is a powerful tool to help you achieve this goal. In this article, we will dive into the details of the Columns function and show you how to use it to optimize your data analysis.

In this article, we will provide you with a detailed guide on using the Columns Function in Excel, including examples of how it can be used to manipulate data.

How to Use the Columns Function?

You have a column in your Excel spreadsheet containing a first and last name, separated by a space. You can use the Columns function to split this column into two separate columns, one for the first name and one for the last name.

To do this, follow these steps:

1. Select the column you want to split.
2. Click on the Data tab and the Text to Columns button.
3. In the Convert Text to Columns Wizard, select the Delimited option and click Next.
4. Choose the delimiter that separates the first and last name (in this case, a space) and click Next.
5. Choose the format of the destination columns (General, Text, Date, etc.) and click Finish.

Your column will now be split into two separate columns, one for the first name and one for the last name. This can be incredibly useful when working with large data sets that need to be organized or when importing data from an external source that needs manipulation.

As businesses rely on data for decision-making, Microsoft Excel remains a popular tool for organizing, analyzing, and visualizing data. One of the powerful features of Excel is its ability to apply functions to columns, which enables users to perform complex calculations on large data sets quickly and efficiently. In this article, we will explore the various ways to apply a function to a column in Excel and provide tips and tricks to make the process easier and more effective.

Benefits of Using the Columns Function

Using the Columns function in Excel can benefit your data analysis. Here are just a few:

1. Saves Time: Using the Columns function, you can quickly split large data sets into smaller, more manageable pieces. This can save you significant time when working with large amounts of data.
2. Organizes Data: The Columns function can help you organize your data by splitting it into more manageable columns. This can make it easier to analyze and work with your data.
3. Improves Accuracy: Splitting your data into smaller columns can improve accuracy by making it easier to identify errors or inconsistencies in your data.
4. Enables Manipulation: The Columns function allows you to manipulate your data in ways that would not be possible without splitting it into smaller columns. This can help you perform more complex data analysis tasks.
5. Increases Flexibility: By splitting your data into smaller columns, you can increase the flexibility of your data analysis. This can allow you to perform more complex tasks and gain deeper insights into your data.

Examples of Using the Columns Function:

To help illustrate how the Columns Function can be used, we will provide a few examples:

Example 1: Finding the Total Revenue for a Sales Report

Suppose you have a sales report in Excel that contains several columns, including “Product Name,” “Price,” and “Units Sold.” You want to find the total revenue for the report by multiplying the “Price” and “Units Sold” columns and then summing the results.

You would first select the “Price” and “Units Sold” columns to do this. Then, apply the following formula to the selected columns: =SUM(B2:B10*C2:C10). This would multiply the values in the “Price” and “Units Sold” columns for each row and then sum the results to give you the total revenue for the report.

Example 2: Filtering Data Based on a Specific Criteria

Suppose you have a large data set in Excel that contains several columns, including “Product Name,” “Price,” and “Category.” You want to filter the data only to show products that belong to a specific category.

To do this, you would first select the entire data set. Then, go to the “Data” tab in the Excel ribbon and click on the “Filter” button. This would add a filter to each column in your data set. Next, you would click on the filter drop-down in the “Category” column and select the specific category that you want to filter by. This would update the data set only to show products that belong to the selected category.

In conclusion, the Columns Function in Excel is a powerful tool that can manipulate data in various ways. Selecting a range of columns and applying a specific function allows you to quickly sort, filter, and analyze your data. We hope this article has provided you with a comprehensive guide on how to use the Columns Function in Excel, and we encourage you to start using this feature to enhance your productivity and efficiency in Excel.

Top 5 Best Ways to Apply a Function to a Column in Excel

What is a Function in Excel? In Excel, a function is a predefined formula that performs a specific calculation, such as adding, subtracting, or averaging values in a range of cells. Functions can take arguments, which are values or cell references that the function uses to calculate. Excel has a wide range of functions organized into categories such as Math & Trig, Date & Time, and Statistical.

Applying a Function to a Column Using AutoSum

One of the easiest ways to apply a function to a column in Excel is to use the AutoSum feature. AutoSum is a built-in tool that automatically detects the range of data and applies the appropriate function to the selected column. To use AutoSum, click on an empty cell below the column of data and click on the AutoSum button in the Editing group of the Home tab. Excel will automatically select the column of data and insert the SUM function.

Using the Function Wizard to Apply a Function to a Column Excel’s Function

Wizard provides a powerful tool for applying functions to columns of data. The Function Wizard allows users to browse through Excel’s extensive library of functions, select the desired function, and specify the range of data to which the function should be applied. To access the Function Wizard, click on the fx button next to the formula bar. Also, the Function Wizard will open, and users can select the desired function and specify the range of data.

Using Absolute References to Apply a Function to Multiple Columns

When applying a function to multiple columns of data, it can be helpful to use absolute references. Absolute references are cell references that do not change when copied or filled, allowing users to apply a function to multiple columns of data with ease. To use absolute references, simply add a dollar sign ($) before the column and row reference in the function. For example, =$A$1+$B$1 would add the values in cells A1 and B1 and remain unchanged when copied or filled.

Using the Fill Handle to Apply a Function to a Column Excel’s

Fill Handle is a powerful tool for applying functions to columns of data quickly and easily. The Fill Handle allows users to drag the selection to adjacent cells, automatically filling the formula down the column. Also, to use the Fill Handle, select the cell containing the formula and click and drag the small square in the bottom right corner of the cell to the desired range of cells.

Using Array Formulas to Apply a Function to a Column

Array formulas are a powerful tool for complex calculations on large data sets. Array formulas allow users to apply a function to an entire column of data with a single formula, making it a powerful tool for analyzing data.  Also, to use array formulas, enter the formula using curly braces ({}) and press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to apply the formula to the entire column.

Conclusion

The Columns function in Excel is a powerful tool that can help you optimize your data analysis. Using this function, you can quickly and easily split large data sets into smaller, more manageable pieces. This can save you time, improve accuracy, and enable more complex data analysis tasks. If you want to learn more about using Excel to optimize your data analysis, check out our blog for helpful tips and tricks.

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Summary

The Excel COLUMNS function returns the count of columns in a given reference. For example, COLUMNS(A1:C3) returns 3, since the range A1:C3 contains 3 columns.

Purpose 

Get the number of columns in an array or reference.

Return value 

Arguments 

• array — A reference to a range of cells.

Syntax 

Usage notes 

The COLUMNS function returns the count of columns in a given reference as a number. For example, COLUMNS(A1:C3) returns 3, since the range A1:C3 contains 3 columns. COLUMNS takes just one argument, called array, which should be a range or array.

Examples

Use the COLUMNS function to get the column count for a given reference or range. For example, there are 6 columns in the range A1:F1 so the formula below returns 6:

=COLUMNS(A1:F1) // returns 6

The range A1:Z100 contains 26 columns, so the formula below returns 100: 

=COLUMNS(A1:Z100) // returns 26

You can also use the COLUMNS function to get a column count for an array constant:

=COLUMNS({1,2,3,4,5}) // returns 5

Although there is no built-in function to count the number of cells in a range, you can use the COLUMNS function together with the ROWS function like this:

=COLUMNS(range)*ROWS(range) // total cells
=COLUMNS(A1:Z100)*ROWS(A1:Z100) // returns 2600

More details here.

Notes

• Array can be a range or a reference to a single contiguous group of cells.
• Array can be an array constant or an array created by another formula.
• To count rows, see the ROW function.
• To get column numbers, see the COLUMN function.
• To lookup a column number, see the MATCH function.

Author

Dave Bruns

Hi — I’m Dave Bruns, and I run Exceljet with my wife, Lisa. Our goal is to help you work faster in Excel. We create short videos, and clear examples of formulas, functions, pivot tables, conditional formatting, and charts.