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🧮 Spreadsheet Functions

Powerful Built-in Calculations

Spreadsheet functions are pre-built formulas that perform specific calculations, making complex data analysis tasks simpler and more efficient. Understanding common functions and how to use them effectively is a key skill in spreadsheet mastery.

📚 Function Basics​

🔣 Function Structure​

  • Functions begin with an equals sign (=)
  • Function name followed by parentheses: =FUNCTION()
  • Arguments (inputs) are placed inside parentheses
  • Multiple arguments are separated by commas
  • Example:
=SUM(A1:A10,B5,C7)

🧙‍♂️ Using the Function Wizard​

  • Helps build functions with proper syntax
  • Shows available functions by category
  • Provides descriptions and examples
  • Guides you through entering arguments

📊 Common Mathematical Functions​

📈 SUM​

  • Adds all numbers in the specified range
  • Syntax:
=SUM(number1, [number2], ...)
  • Examples:
=SUM(A1:A10)
=SUM(A1:A10,C1:C10)
=SUM(5,10,15,B5)

📊 AVERAGE​

  • Calculates the arithmetic mean of numbers
  • Syntax:
=AVERAGE(number1, [number2], ...)
  • Examples:
=AVERAGE(B2:B20)
=AVERAGE(10,20,30,A1:A10)

🔢 COUNT​

  • Counts cells containing numbers in a range
  • Syntax:
=COUNT(value1, [value2], ...)
  • Examples:
=COUNT(A1:A20)
=COUNT(A1:A20,C5:C15)

📊 MAX and MIN​

  • Find the largest or smallest value in a range
  • Syntax:
=MAX(number1, [number2], ...)
=MIN(number1, [number2], ...)
  • Examples:
=MAX(C5:C15)
=MIN(Sales_Data)

🔄 ROUND​

  • Rounds a number to a specified number of digits
  • Syntax:
=ROUND(number, num_digits)
  • Examples:
=ROUND(A1,2)
=ROUND(3.14159,3)
=ROUND(2345.6789,-2)  // Rounds to nearest hundred: 2300

📅 Date and Time Functions​

📆 TODAY and NOW​

  • TODAY returns the current date
  • NOW returns the current date and time
  • Syntax:
=TODAY()
=NOW()
  • Examples:
=TODAY()+7  // Date one week from today
=NOW()-TIME(2,0,0)  // Current time minus 2 hours

📅 DATE​

  • Creates a date from year, month, and day values
  • Syntax:
=DATE(year, month, day)
  • Examples:
=DATE(2025,4,15)
=DATE(YEAR(TODAY()),MONTH(TODAY())+3,1)  // First day of 3 months from now

⏱️ DATEDIF​

  • Calculates the difference between two dates
  • Syntax:
=DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, unit)
  • Examples:
=DATEDIF(A1,B1,"Y")  // Years between dates
=DATEDIF(A1,B1,"M")  // Months between dates
=DATEDIF(A1,B1,"D")  // Days between dates
=DATEDIF(A1,B1,"YM") // Months excluding years

📆 WEEKDAY​

  • Returns the day of the week as a number
  • Syntax:
=WEEKDAY(date, [return_type])
  • Examples:
=WEEKDAY(A1)  // 1 (Sunday) through 7 (Saturday)
=WEEKDAY(TODAY(),2)  // 1 (Monday) through 7 (Sunday)

📝 Text Functions​

🔤 CONCATENATE or &​

  • Joins text strings together
  • Syntax:
=CONCATENATE(text1, [text2], ...)
=text1&text2
  • Examples:
=A1&" "&B1
=CONCATENATE("Hello, ",A1,"! Today is ",TEXT(TODAY(),"dddd"))

📄 LEFT, RIGHT, and MID​

  • Extract portions of text strings
  • Syntax:
=LEFT(text, num_chars)
=RIGHT(text, num_chars)
=MID(text, start_num, num_chars)
  • Examples:
=LEFT(A1,3)  // First 3 characters
=RIGHT(A1,4)  // Last 4 characters
=MID(A1,3,5)  // 5 characters starting from position 3

🔠 UPPER, LOWER, and PROPER​

  • Change the case of text
  • Syntax:
=UPPER(text)
=LOWER(text)
=PROPER(text)
  • Examples:
=UPPER(A1)  // "hello" becomes "HELLO"
=LOWER(A1)  // "HELLO" becomes "hello"
=PROPER(A1)  // "hello world" becomes "Hello World"

📏 LEN​

  • Returns the length of a text string
  • Syntax:
=LEN(text)
  • Examples:
=LEN(A1)
=LEN("Hello World")  // Returns 11

🔍 Lookup and Reference Functions​

🔎 VLOOKUP​

  • Searches for a value in the first column of a table and returns a value from the same row
  • Syntax:
=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])
  • Examples:
=VLOOKUP("Smith",A2:D50,3,FALSE)
=VLOOKUP(A1,Products,2,TRUE)

🔍 HLOOKUP​

  • Similar to VLOOKUP but searches horizontally (in rows)
  • Syntax:
=HLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, row_index_num, [range_lookup])
  • Examples:
=HLOOKUP("Q1",A1:E5,3,FALSE)
=HLOOKUP(B1,Quarter_Data,2,FALSE)

🎯 INDEX and MATCH​

  • More flexible alternative to VLOOKUP/HLOOKUP
  • Syntax:
=INDEX(array, row_num, [column_num])
=MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_type])
  • Combined example:
=INDEX(C2:C20, MATCH("Smith", A2:A20, 0))
=INDEX(Sales_Data, MATCH(A1, Customer_IDs, 0), MATCH(B1, Product_Codes, 0))

🧩 Logical Functions​

🔀 IF​

  • Performs a logical test and returns different values based on the result
  • Syntax:
=IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value_if_false)
  • Examples:
=IF(A1>10,"High","Low")
=IF(A1="Yes",1,0)
=IF(Sales>Target,"Bonus","No Bonus")

🔗 AND and OR​

  • Combine multiple conditions
  • Syntax:
=AND(logical1, [logical2], ...)
=OR(logical1, [logical2], ...)
  • Examples:
=IF(AND(A1>10, A1<20), "Medium", "Outside range")
=IF(OR(A1<5, A1>15), "Outside range", "Within range")
=IF(AND(Sales>1000, Profit>100), "Excellent", "Average")

📊 COUNTIF and SUMIF​

  • Count or sum cells that meet specific criteria
  • Syntax:
=COUNTIF(range, criteria)
=SUMIF(range, criteria, [sum_range])
  • Examples:
=COUNTIF(A1:A20, ">10")
=COUNTIF(Status, "Completed")
=SUMIF(A1:A20, "Completed", B1:B20)
=SUMIF(Region, "North", Sales)

✅ Best Practices​

  • Start with simple functions and gradually learn more complex ones
  • Use function help and tooltips to understand syntax
  • Break complex calculations into multiple steps:
// Instead of this:
=IF(AND(A1>10,B1<5),SUM(C1:C10)/COUNT(C1:C10),"N/A")

// Use this for clarity:
=IF(AND(A1>10,B1<5),AVERAGE(C1:C10),"N/A")
  • Test functions with simple data to verify they work as expected
  • Document complex functions with cell comments
  • Consider using named ranges to make functions more readable:
// Instead of this:
=SUMIF(A1:A100,">1000",B1:B100)

// Use this for clarity:
=SUMIF(Region,"North",Sales)

Mastering spreadsheet functions dramatically increases your productivity and the power of your spreadsheets, enabling sophisticated data analysis and automation of repetitive calculations.