Excel Top Tricks: A Guide to Using Excel Functions and Formulas for Dummies
Are you feeling a little lost when it comes to using Excel? Maybe you are struggling with all the different functions and formulas, or perhaps even just trying to figure out where everything is located. Thankfully, this article will help you get started!
Introduction to Excel Functions and Formulas
A function is a set of instructions that tell Excel to do something with your data. Functions can tell Excel to do simple things like sum numbers or count how many items you have in a list or to do much more complex things like analyze financial data. Gross: Net sales minus cost of goods sold, expenses and taxes.
Formulas are a little different than functions. A formula is a set of instructions that tell Excel to automatically calculate something. For example, if you wanted to figure out how many units of a product you had sold in a given month, you could select the units sold and type the formula =SUM(B2:B11) (where SUM refers to adding numbers). Then, each time you open the spreadsheet, Excel will automatically show you the new number.
Defining an Excel Function
The first step to using any function is to know what you want it to do. For example, let’s say you have a list of items and you want to know how many of each item you have. When you want to add a function to your spreadsheet, you can do so by clicking on the “Formulas” drop-down menu at the top of your screen and then selecting “Insert Function.” This will bring up a search box where you can type in the function you are looking for. Once you’ve selected the function, you will need to enter the correct information into the Function Arguments box. For example, if you wanted to get the number of sales you have had this month, you would select “SUM” and then click on “Month” in the “Function Arguments” box.
Then, you would enter the formula B2:B11 =SUM(B2:B11) into the “Formulas” drop-down menu.
The number of sales you have made this month will then appear in the “Sales” column on your spreadsheet.
On your next visit to the spreadsheet, you will see a new line in the upper-right corner of your screen. This line is called a “line of data” and it will contain all of the information you entered into your Function Arguments box. The information that is shown to you on this line is called a “series.” If you have any questions about what series are being shown, please contact us at support@pluralsight.com . Once you are comfortable with what lines of data are being shown, click on the “Next Line” button at the top of your screen to see all of them laid out for you . At this point, it is really important that each line be exactly as it appears on your screen! To do this, click on “File Options” and select “Show Line Data” from the pop-up menu (it may take a second or two for Excel to load). Once Excel loads up all of these lines, it will look something like this:
This shows each series that has been entered onto your spreadsheet so far (this shows how many sales have been made) and how.
This is also a good time to look at the number of sales that have been made by each series. Since you have a series called “Sales,” this will show how many sales have been made by that series. For example:
This shows how many sales have been made by the Series "Sales" in the past two years. This shows how many sales have been made over the last two years, so to get a better idea of what you are dealing with, look at this line:
Again, this will give you an idea of how many sales there were during each of those two years. It also shows where they came from, but it doesn't show any details about them. Also note that there is no information about any specific business or product that has been sold in that year. This is usually because it's a long-term project and it would be difficult for us to keep track of all the sales for every single item in your data set (which would take up too much space on your computer).
Finally, these lines show what percentage of each line has sold and how much money has been paid out over time . If you do not see enough information on your screen to really understand what you are seeing on these lines, contact support@pluralsight.com . Once we can give you more detailed information about what each line represents, we can help you decide whether or not it is worth it for your business to use our service .
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Summarizing Data with Excel Functions
One of the most common reasons to use functions in your spreadsheets is to summarize data. For example, say you’ve created a list of the numbers of items you’ve sold each month over the past year. You might want to create a graph to summarize your numbers. However, if you click the graph button, you’ll get the exact same numbers graphed (i.e., each item’s number of sales for each month).
So, in this situation u would want to use a function to summarize your data. For example, you can use the SUM function to add up all the numbers. Then, when you click the graph button, Excel will automatically create a graph showing the total number of sales for each month.
Working with Dates in Excel
If you’re working with dates (or want to), you’ll need to know the TYPE function. Type =TYPE( and then select the date you want to work with in the “Function Arguments” box. You can then choose one of the following options to get the information you need:
- ## Number Functions in Excel
Another type of data you may have in your spreadsheet is numbers. In this case, you’ll need to use a number function. Here are a few of the most common number functions in Excel:
- IF: This function allows you to enter conditional statements (e.g., if A=1 then B=10, etc.).
- SUM: This function adds up the numbers you enter into it.
- AVG: This function tells you the average value of the numbers you enter into it.
- MIN: This function tells you the smallest number you enter into it.
- MAX: This function tells you the largest number you enter into it.
- COUNT: This function counts how many numbers you enter into it.
- #DIV/0! (or #N/A): These functions notify you if you’re dividing by 0.
Text Functions in Excel
If you have text in your spreadsheet, you’ll need to use a text function. Here are a few of the most common ones:
- IF: This function allows you to enter conditional statements (e.g., if A=“blue” then B=“green”, etc.).
- CONCATENATE: This function joins two pieces of text together (e.g., “Hello” “world”).
- LEFT: This function returns the leftmost characters of the text you enter into it.
- MID: This function returns a portion of the text you enter into it.
- RIGHT: This function returns the rightmost characters of the text you enter into it.
- LEN: This function tells you how many characters are in the text you enter into it.
- TRIM: This function removes all extra characters from the text you enter into it (e.g., !!!??? becomes “”).
Conditional Functions in Excel
Conditional functions are used to make Excel do something only if a certain condition is met. In this case, you’d want to select one of the following functions:
- IFNA: This function tells Excel to do something if a certain condition isn’t met.
- IFERROR: This function tells Excel to do something if a certain condition isn’t met and if you have entered a faulty formula.
- IFNAGE: This function tells Excel to do something if a certain condition isn’t met and if the spreadsheet has been open for more than 24 hours.
Where to Find More Information About Using Functions and Formulas in Excel
If you aren’t sure how to use a particular function or formula, you can enter it into Google along with the word “excel” (e.g., SUM, MAX). You can also type it into the search bar of the Excel program itself. Additionally, there are plenty of online resources that can help you out. You can try searching the following:
- Excel function tutorial: This is a great place to start.
- Excel formula tutorial: The best way to learn is to start with the basics.
- Excel tutorial: This can help you to understand the basics of the program, including what you need to know about formulas and functions.
Before You Start Using Formulas and Functions in Excel
Before you begin to use formulas and functions in your spreadsheet, you should know a few things. First, it’s important to remember that formulas are always calculated from the beginning of your spreadsheet. If you have a formula that starts at the bottom of the page, for example, it will start calculating from the bottom of the page.
Additionally, you should know that formulas are different from values. This means that if you delete a formula from a cell, the value will remain. If you want the value to change, simply type the new data into the cell.
Conclusion
There are lots of ways to use functions and formulas in Excel to make your work easier and more efficient. First, make sure you understand what each function is trying to do, and then enter the correct information into the Function Arguments box. If you do this, you’ll be well on your way to mastering functions and formulas in Excel!