Are you tired of spending countless hours trying to figure out complex Microsoft Excel formulas? Look no further than this handy cheat sheet!
The Basics
Before diving into the more advanced formulas, it’s important to have a solid understanding of the basics. The following formulas will help you get started:
The SUM formula allows you to quickly add up a range of cells. Simply select the cells you want to add together and type =SUM() into the formula bar. Inside the parentheses, list the cells you want to add together separated by commas.
The AVERAGE formula does exactly what it sounds like - calculates the average of a range of cells. Type =AVERAGE() into the formula bar and list the cells you want to average inside the parentheses.
Another useful formula is COUNT, which counts the number of cells in a range that contain numerical values. Type =COUNT() into the formula bar and list the cells you want to count inside the parentheses.
Intermediate Formulas
Now that you have a solid foundation in the basics, let’s move on to some more intermediate formulas:
VLOOKUP
VLOOKUP is a powerful formula that allows you to search a table for a specific value and return a corresponding value from that table. Here’s how to use it:
Type =VLOOKUP() into the formula bar, followed by the value you’re searching for in parentheses. The next argument is the table range you’re searching in, which should include the lookup column (where the value you’re searching for lives) and the column you want to return.The third argument is the column index number - this is a number that represents the column of the table you want to return a value from. The final argument is the range lookup value, which should be set to “false” to ensure an exact match is made.
IF/THEN
The IF/THEN formula allows you to test a condition and return one value if the condition is true, and another value if the condition is false.
Type =IF() into the formula bar and list the condition you’re testing (such as A1>10) inside the parentheses. The second argument is the value you want returned if the condition is true, and the third argument is the value you want returned if the condition is false.
Advanced Formulas
INDEX/MATCH
The INDEX/MATCH formula is a powerful combination that can be used to search for a specific value in a table and return a value from another column in that same row.
To use this formula, start by typing =INDEX() into the formula bar, followed by the column you want to return a value from (inside parentheses). Next, type =MATCH() into the formula bar, followed by the value you’re searching for, the table range you’re searching in, and the range lookup value (set to “false” for an exact match).
SUMIF/SUMIFS
The SUMIF/SUMIFS formulas allow you to sum a range of cells based on a specific criterion. The key difference between the two formulas is that SUMIF only allows for one criterion, while SUMIFS allows for multiple criteria.
To use these formulas, type =SUMIF() or =SUMIFS() into the formula bar, followed by the range you want to sum, the criterion you’re looking for, and the range you want to use as the criteria (for SUMIFS only).
Conclusion
These are just a few of the many powerful formula options available in Microsoft Excel. With a little practice, you’ll be able to utilize these formulas to improve your work efficiency and impress your colleagues with your Excel skills.
