Excel Spreadsheet Formulas:The Ultimate Guide

Excel Spreadsheet formulas are the most important (and sometimes most challenging) part of Excel. Mastering spreadsheet formulas is a key skill but requires a lot of different interests: You need to dive into logical functions, mathematical functions, text handling and much more.

If you’re looking to master Excel Spreadsheet Formulas (and who isn’t) then knowing this essential list of Excel formulas is a must.

Excel Spreadsheet Formulas: Essentials You Have To KnowExcel Spreadsheet formulas are the most important (and sometimes most challenging) part of Excel. Mastering spreadsheet formulas is a key skill but requires a lot of different interests: You need to dive into logical functions, mathematical functions, text handling and much more.

The Definitive List of the

31 Most lmportant Excel Spreadsheet Formulas

CHAPTERS

Chapter 1 - Boolean and Logical Functions These Excel spreadsheet formulas will help you to check for conditions. As some of them return TRUE or

FALSE as a result, they are pretty handy, when it comes to combining them with other functions in Excel.

Chapter 2 - Conditional Functions These functions from the Conditional & Logic set of Excel spreadsheet formulas allow you to perform se­veral operations - like summaries or to count - based on conditions met. This approach enables you to build interesting subsets of your data.

Chapter 3 - Date Functions Date functions are some of the most versatile Excel spreadsheet formulas. These MS Excel functions help the data analyst to build easily and structure your information into quarters, fiscal years, days or any other chosen timeframe.

Chapter 4 - Error Handling Functions lf you really want to enhance your reports and dashboards, you need to apply these particular Excel spreadsheet formulas. They ensure that none of the nasty #N/A or other errors occur in your report, which can also make or break your dashboards.

Chapter 5 - Mathematical Functions Mathematical functions help you make statements about your data. Summaries or building an average are quite common in today's reporting and greatly benefit dashboards as weil. These Excel spreadsheet formulas tauch the core of the application.

Chapter 6 - Text Functions Dealing with the text portion of Excel spreadsheet formulas can sometimes be a bit tricky. These spreads­heet formulas are often used in data cleansing and importing tasks, and it's quite important to under­stand, how Excel handles text.

Chapter 7 - Reference Functions The reference category of the Excel spreadsheet formulas has been revolutionized with the introduction of PowerPivot in Excel 2010. Nevertheless, these are crucial functions in Excel that - once you "got" them - will help you to save massive amounts of time.

Chapter a (Bo,nus) - ln-depth tutori,als 0111 Excel In the bonus chapter, which is only available in this download version of „Excel Spreadsheet Functions: The Ultimate Guide" 1 share four in-depth tutorials (3 videos and one 9,000+ words blog post). Go through them in order and go from Excel Novice to Ninja

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Chapter 1

Boolean and Logical Functions

These Excel spreadsheet formulas will help you to check for

conditions. As some of them return TRUE or FALSE as a result,

they are pretty handy, when it comes to combining them with other

functions in Excel.

• AND function: this tutorial explains the syntax and someinteresting use cases for the AN D function in Excel. Anotherinteresting application using AND can be seen in this 16:30 min

video from Mike Girvin I ExcellsFun

• OR function: Dave Bruns from Exceljet shows the OR functionand how to combine it with IF

• NOT function: In this tutorial , Svetlana Cheusheva from Ablebitsexplains not only the NOT function but also related Excelspreadsheet formulas like XOR

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Chapter 2

Conditional Functions

These functions from the Conditional & Logic set of Excel

spreadsheet formulas allow you to perform several operations -

like summaries or to count - based on conditions met. This

approach enables you to build interesting subsets of your data.

• SUMIF & SUMIFS function: In this tutorial Ankit Kaul explains

the structure of the SUMIF and SUMIFS formula and also has

some interesting examples of its application. 1 also have created

this short YouTube video (length 8:52 mins)

• COUNTIF function: Here are fourteen great examples (mixed

maths and text conditions) that show how to apply "counting"

under certain conditions

• COUNTA function: Ted French from About.com explains how to

use this feature, that focusses on using "textual" conditions

• SUBTOTAL function: This post on the amazing Chandoo Excel

blog covers not only five reasons why you should use

SUBTOTAL but also shows how to apply it

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Chapter 3

Date Functions

Date functions are some of the most versatile Excel spreadsheet

formulas. These MS Excel functions help the data analyst to build

easily and structure your information into quarters, fiscal years,

days or any other chosen timeframe.

• DAYS function: In this amazing article by Svetlana Cheusheva

an Ablebits the DAYS formula is explained in detail. Also, have a

look not only at the rest of the post but also at the comments.

Same gems are hidden there :)

• NETWORKDAYS function: Mike Girvin from ExcellsFun explains

the syntax of this formula in this 1 :45 mins short YouTube video

• TODAY function: Another great tutorial by Svetlana from Ablebitsan the TODAY function. She also shares some common uses andkeyboard shortcuts. See also this fantastic 4:46 min video from

Aldo Mencaraglia on YouTube (although I would have used

INDEX I MATCH instead of VLOOKUP - see below)

• YEAR I MONTH I DAY function: Frederic Le Guen shares the

use of these three similar excel date functions in his well-written

blog post

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Chapter 4

Error Handling Functions

lf you really want to enhance your reports and dashboards, you

need to apply these particular Excel spreadsheet formulas. They

ensure that none of the nasty #N/A or other errors occur in your

report, which can also make or break your dashboards.

• ISERROR function: Jim Tanous explains a very common use of the

ISERROR formula in this blog an TekRevue by combining it with IF (see

above)

• ISBLANK function: Dave Bruns from ExcelJet shows how to check for

blank cells first only with IF and then explains another approach using the

ISBLANK function. Following this idea, may be significant if you don't

want to fill empty cells (e. g. with ZERO) for visualization purposes in

dashboards.

• IFERROR function: Chandoo explains why you should use IFERROR in

your spreadsheets. Make sure to read the comments as well, as some of

them are quite funny :)

• ISTEXT function: Read this interesting post by Valli an Analysistabs an

this versatile Excel function

• ISNUMBER function: Very related to the ISTEXT function as mentioned

above, this formula helps you to determine if a cell content is numeric or

not returning TRUE or FALSE (which you then can use in other functions)

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Chapter 5

Mathematical Functions

Mathematical functions help you make statements about your data.

Summaries or building an average are quite common in today's

reporting and greatly benefit dashboards as well. These Excel

spreadsheet formulas tauch the core of the application.

• RANDBETWEEN function: Another fabulous post by Ted French

an About.com for the RANDBETWEEN function. Tip: use this

volatile formula if you quickly need some example data

• SUM function: Debra Dalgleish from Contextures explains SUM

and related Excel spreadsheet formulas in this very detailed post

an her blog

• AVERAGE function: Laran Joseph shares how to "average your

data" an the Udemy blog

• SUMPRODUCT function: A real great video (36:27 mins) by

Mike Girvin from ExcellsFun an YouTube. He shares 14 (!)

examples of how to use SUMPRODUCT in your spreadsheets.

Chandoo also has an interesting article an his blog here

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Chapter 6

Text Functions

Dealing with the text portion of Excel spreadsheet formulas can

sometimes be a bit tricky. These spreadsheet formulas are often

used in data cleansing and importing tasks, and it's quite important

to understand, how Excel handles text.

• LEFT I RIGHT function: And here are two more tutorials on LEFT

and RIGHT by Ted French on About.com

• MID function: Adrian Pask from SpreadsheetSuperstar.com

shows how to apply the MIO text feature. Jorge A. Gomez also

shares a very detail insight on several text functions including MIO

formula on his blog

• TRIM function: Amit Tandon shares great detail not only of the

TRIM function in this blog post but also how to apply it in practical

use cases and, also, he shares some insight on the CLEAN

function

• REPT function: Read Debra Dalgleish's tutorial on using REPT in

Excel including a 6:09 mins video. Bonus Tip: ExcelHero Daniel

Ferry (an epic blog on Excel spreadsheet formulas although not

updated for a lang time) also has a fantastic use for REPT to

avoid nested IFs (read the comments) on his blog - a MUST

READ

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Chapter 7

Reference Functions

The reference category of the Excel spreadsheet form ulas has

been revolutionized with the introduction of PowerPivot in Excel

2010. Nevertheless, these are crucial functions in Excel that - once

you "got" them - will help you to save massive amounts of time.

• OFFSET function: The OFFSET function, although slightly

complicated when it comes to the functional argument, is one of

the Excel spreadsheet formulas I use all the time. Rickard

Wärnelid explains it very visually on his blog Corality with some

excellent examples. 1 also have created a short YouTube video

(8:38 mins) embedded in this post

• MAXI MIN functions: Another great and detailed page on

Debra's blog Contextures.com not only about the usage of MAX

and MIN but also related MS Excel functions like combinations

with IF

• VLOOKUP function: This is one of the most searched for Excel

spreadsheet formulas, and Lowell Heddings explains this very

well on his blog HowToGeek. Also, 1 can only recommend

Chandoo's great ebook on VLOOKUP (no affiliation but a 100°/o

recommendation) and this amazing tutorial on TimeAtlas.com ( ... )

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Chapter 7 ( ... contin ued)

Reference Functions

• INDEX function: Luke explains the INDEX formula with ten

examples in this easy to read blog post. Use this and the next

tutorial to combine both as an alternative for VLOOKUP

(advanced Excel spreadsheet formulas use ahead :)

• MATCH function: Another excellent tutorial on utilizing the

MATCH function by Ankit Kaul. He shares some beautiful ideas of

how to apply the function to your spreadsheet reports.

• INDEX I MATCH combined: Here comes the masterclass of

advanced Excel spreadsheet formulas usage and David explains

this combination very well on his blog FiveMinutelessons.

Another very popular tutorial can be found on Businessinsider

and is written by David H ickey (have a look at the first

photograph of Bill Gates)

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Chapter 8 (BONUS)

ln-depth tutorials on Excel

In the bonus chapter, which is only available in this download version of „Excel Spreadsheet Functions: The Ultimate Guide" 1 share four in-depth tutorials (3 videos and one 9,000+ words blog post). Go through them in order and go from Excel Novice to Ninja

• Excel Basic Know-How: In this 1 :53 hrs video, Sali Kaceli,shares basics of a lot of different Excel features essential for thebusiness worker. Have a view of the video description for theexample file as well as a Table of Contents

• Excel Formula Help: Mynda Treacy from MyOnlineTrainingHubprovides an excellent overview how to work with nested formulasand troubleshooting in this 7-m inute video

• Excel for Accounting: lf you're in accounting, Mike Girvins 2:44hrs video will show you what's important in this profession when itcomes to Excel. And if you're not, 1 can only strongly advisewatching this video as well. Every user of Excel will benefit fromthis detailed video workshop.

• Excel Keyboard Shortcuts: Once you've mastered the 4+ hoursof Excel material above, streamline your Excel work withkeyboard shortcuts to save even more time. This 9,000+ wordsarticle by Jorge A Gomez is all you will need for doing so.

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