Skip to main content

Most Commonly Used Formulas and Functions in Excel




Formulas & Functions

 

1.       Formulas

A formula is an expression that operates on value in a range of cell or cells.


 

2.       Functions

Functions are predefined formulas in excel which eliminate manual entry of formulas while give them names.

 


Five Ways to Insert Formula in Excel

 


1.       Typing formula inside the cell


2.       Using Insert Function in Formulas Tab


 

3.       Selecting Formulas from one of groups in Formula Tab




4.       Using AutoSum



5.       Recently Used from Formula Tab

 


Functions

There are more than 470 functions in Excel and there are additions addin functions also with help of VBA macros you can create your own formula.

Functions are distributed in Below Categories:- Financial, Logical, Text, Date & Time, Lookup & Reference, Math & Trig, More Functions.

 

We don’t need to learn all formulas. I have listed down some important formulas which are used in analysis.

 

 

1.       Financial Formulas

1.       NPV – Calculates the net present value of cash flows based on a discount rate

Syntax = NPV(rate,value1,value2…)

Arguments –

1.       Rate is rate of discount over the length of period

2.       Value1 is cashflow value. Only number value is considered rest all is ignored

 


 

2.       XNPV – calculates the NPV of cash flows based on a discount rate and specific dates

Syntax = XNPV(rate,values,dates)

1.       Rate = Discount rate for a period

2.       Values = Positive or negative cash flows (an array of values)

3.       Dates = Specific dates (an array of dates)



 

3.       IRR – this formula calculates the internal rate of return (discount rate that sets the NPV to zero)

Syntax= IRR(values,[guess]

Values - Positive or negative cash flows (an array of values)

Guess - An assumption of what you think IRR should be



 

4.       XIRR – calculates the internal rate of return (discount rate that sets the NPV to zero) with specified dates

Syntax = XIRR(values,dates,guess)



 

5.       SLN – calculates depreciation based on the straight-line method

Syntax = SLN(cost,salvage,life)

Cost – cost of asset when bought

Salvage – Value of asset after depreciation

Life – Number of period for which asset is depreciated



2.       Logical Formulas

1.       AND - It is used to determine if the given conditions in a test are TRUE

Syntax = AND(logical1,logical2…)



2.       False - Returns the logical value FALSE

Syntax = FALSE()

3.       IF - Specifies a logical test to perform

Syntax = IF(Logical_test,[value_if_true],[value_if_false])

 


4.       IFERROR - Returns a value you specify if a formula evaluates to an error; otherwise, returns the result of the formula. It can be used with other formulas to handle errors.

Syntax = IFERROR(value,value_if_error)

 


5.       IFNA - Returns the value you specify if the expression resolves to #N/A, otherwise returns the result of the expression

Syntax = IFNA(value,value_if_na)



6.       NOT - Reverses the logic of its argument

Syntax = NOT()



7.       OR - Returns TRUE if any argument is TRUE, If neither condition is met, then it returns FALSE

Syntax = OR(logical1,logical2..)



8.       TRUE - Returns the logical value TRUE

Syntax = TRUE()

9.       XOR - Returns a logical exclusive OR of all arguments. With XOR the return is TRUE if the number of true arguments is odd.

Syntax = XOR(logical1,logical2..)




 



3.       Text Formulas

1.       Left - Returns the left most characters from a text value.

Syntax = LEFT(text,num_chars)



2.       Right - Returns the last character or characters in a text string, based on the number of bytes you specify

Syntax = RIGHT(text,num_chars)



3.       Mid - Returns a specific number of characters from a string starting at a specified position

Syntax = MID(text,start_num,num_chars)

 


4.       Proper - Capitalizes the first letter in each word of a text value

Syntax = PROPER(text) 


5.       Upper - Converts text to uppercase

Syntax = UPPER(text) 


6.       Lower - Converts text to lowercase

Syntax = LOWER(text) 


7.       LEN - Returns the number of characters in a text string

Syntax = LEN(text) 


8.       Trim - Removes all spaces from text except single spaces between words

Syntax = TRIM(text) 


9.       Substitute - Substitutes new text for old text in a text string

Syntax = SUBSTITUTE(text,old_text,new_text,instance_num)

 

 


 

10.   Concatenate – Joins text in various cells

Syntax = CONCATENATE(text,text2…)

 


4.       Date & Time Formulas

1.       Year - Converts an Excel date / time serial number to a year

Syntax = YEAR(serial_number)


2.       Month - The formula returns the month number in the year of the date represented by the date / time serial number.

Syntax = MONTH(serial_number)


3.       Today - The TODAY function returns the current date according to the computer's system clock.

Syntax = TODAY()


4.       Now – Returns the Excel date / time serial number of the current date and time. Volatile.

Syntax = NOW()


5.       Hour, Minute, Second

 

 


 

 

 

6.       NETWORKDAYS - The Excel Networkdays function calculates the number of work days between two supplied dates (including the start and end date). The calculation includes all weekdays (Mon - Fri), excluding a supplied list of holidays.

Syntax = NETWORKDAYS(start_date,end_date,holidays)


7.       EOMONTH - The Excel Eomonth function returns the last day of the month, that is a specified number of months before or after an initial supplied start date.

Syntax = EOMONTH(start_date,months)


 

5.       Lookup & Reference Formulas

1.       MATCH - Returns the relative position of an item in an array that matches a specified value in a specified order. Important mainly as a feeder to other lookup functions because it returns the position of an item in a range.

Syntax = MATCH(lookup_value,lookup_array,match_type)


2.       INDEX - An unusual function that takes alternative forms depending upon whether the first argument is an array or a reference. It is one of the most valuable functions for extracting data from tables whether as individual items, entire rows, or columns. It is used with other functions especially with MATCH.

Syntax = INDEX(array,row_num,column_num)

             = INDEX(reference,row_num,column_num,area_num)             

 

 


 

3.       OFFSET - Returns a reference to a range that is a specified number of rows and columns from a cell or range of cells. Often used with calculated row and column numbers to return a cell or range address.

Syntax = OFFSET(reference,rows,cols,[height],[width])



4.       VLOOKUP - Looks in the first column of an array and moves across the row to return the value of a cell

Syntax = VLOOKUP(lookup_value,table_array_index_num,range_lookup)

             = range_lookup has 2 options TRUE for approx. match and FALSE for exact match



5.       HLOOKUP - Looks in the top row of a table or array and returns the value of the indicated cell.

Syntax = HLOOKUP(lookup_value,table_array_index_num,range_lookup)


6.       ROW & COLUMN – Gives row and column number reference



7.       HYPERLINK – Creates hyperlink



8.       INDIRECT - Returns a reference indicated by a value provided as text.

 

 

 


 

6.       Statistical, INFO & Math functions


1.       SUM – Adds all numbers in range of cell

2.       Average – Returns average i.e arithmetic mean of arguments

3.       COUNT – Counts number of cells in range that contain numbers

4.       COUNTA – Counts number of cell in a range that are not empty

5.       COUNTBLANK – Counts number of blank cells

6.       ISBLANK – If a cell value is blank it will give output as TRUE

 

7.       MAX & MIN

MAX = Gives max number in a range

MIN = Gives min number in a range


8.       SUMIF

Syntax = SUMIF(range,criteria,sum_range)


 

9.       Product – Multiplies all arguments

Syntax = PRODUCT(number1,number2…)


 

10.   Round, Roundup, Rounddown – Round decimal numbers





Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Rank Function

How to Use the RANK Function If you give the RANK function a number, and a list of numbers, it will tell you the rank of that number in the list, either in ascending or descending order. For example, in the screen shot below, there is a list of 10 student test scores, in cells B2:B11. To find the rank of the the first student's score in cell B2, enter this formula in cell C2: =RANK(B2,$B$2:$B$11) Then, copy the formula from cell C2 down to cell C11, and the scores will be ranked in descending order. RANK Function Arguments There are 3 arguments for the RANK function: number : in the above example, the number to rank is in cell  B2 ref : We want to compare the number to the list of numbers in cells  $B$2:$B$11 . Use an absolute reference ($B$2:$B11), instead of a relative reference (B2:B11)so the referenced range will stay the same when you copy the formula down to the cells below order : (optional) This argument tells Excel whether to rank the list in ascending or descending o...

Create Sum that gives summary of all Worksheets in Excel

  You have a workbook with 12 worksheets, 1 for each month. All of the worksheets have the same number of rows and columns. You want a summary worksheet in order to total January through December. To create it, use the formula  =SUM(January:December!B4) . Copy the formula to all cells and you will have a summary of the other 12 worksheets. Caution I make sure to never put spaces in my worksheet names. If you do use spaces, the formula would have to include apostrophes, like this:  =SUM('Jan 2018:Mar 2018'!B4) .

Formatting In Excel - helps you find meaning in the spreadsheet

  Formatting In Excel -  helps you find meaning in the spreadsheet  Spreadsheets are often seen as boring and pure tools of utility, but that doesn't mean that we can't bring some style and formatting to our spreadsheets Formatting helps your user find meaning in the spreadsheet without going through each and every individual cell. Cells with formatting will draw the viewer's attention to the important cells. In Excel, formatting worksheet data is easy. You can use several fast and simple ways to create professional-looking worksheets that display your data effectively. For example, you can use document themes for a uniform look throughout all of your Excel spreadsheets, styles to apply predefined formats, and other manual formatting features to highlight important data. Formatting a Data Raw Data   Using Font, Number tabs as shown in image to do a simple formatting   Formatting a Data with help of formatting tools in Excel  As shown in image , we have Prod...