New Excel Functions
Nearly 50 new functions have been added to Excel! This is not your Dad's Excel anymore – a lot has changed. This article takes a quick tour of the new functions, with links to more detailed information.
Articles
XLOOKUP vs INDEX and MATCH
For many years, INDEX and MATCH have been the go-to solution for difficult lookup problems in Excel. While more complicated to configure, the two-function combination of INDEX + MATCH is flexible and powerful. But now that XLOOKUP is more widely available, will INDEX and MATCH remain popular? Is there any reason to still use INDEX and MATCH? Read below for a detailed comparison.
See INDEX and MATCH Two-Column Lookup Example
XLOOKUP vs VLOOKUP
For many years, VLOOKUP has reigned supreme as the most widely used lookup function in Excel. But now that XLOOKUP is more widely available, VLOOKUP's reign will likely come to an end. XLOOKUP is a modern replacement for the VLOOKUP function and is more capable in almost every way. Let's look at how these two functions stack up against each other.
Why SUMPRODUCT?
In this article, I attempt to explain why you see SUMPRODUCT so often in formulas, and when you can use the SUM function instead. The short version: SUMPRODUCT supports array operations natively, which makes it very useful for solving seemingly unrelated Excel problems. In the current version of Excel, you can use the SUM function instead, but SUMPRODUCT is better for backwards compatibility.
How to concatenate in Excel
This article explains how to concatenate manually with the ampersand operator (&) and with the three Excel functions designed for concatenation: CONCATENATE, CONCAT, and TEXTJOIN.
What is an array formula?
In the world of Excel formulas, the term "array formula" is probably responsible for more confusion than just about any other concept. This is because the definition of an array formula has become mixed up with the requirement to enter some array formulas in a special way, with control + shift + enter.
Excel's RACON functions
There are eight widely used functions in Excel that use a syntax different from other functions in Excel. This syntax can make these functions more challenging to use, because it is not intuitive. Read on for important information about COUNTIF, COUNTIFS, SUMIF, SUMIFS, AVERAGEIF, AVERAGEIFS, MINIFS, and MAXIFS.
Alternatives to Dynamic Array Functions
Dynamic Excel offers 6 brand new functions that solve hard problems in Excel like sorting, filtering, and working with unique values. For those not using Office 365, this page provides some alternative formulas that work in older versions of Excel.
Dynamic array formulas in Excel
Dynamic Arrays are the biggest change to Excel formulas in years. Maybe the biggest change ever. This is because Dynamic Arrays let you easily work with multiple values at the same time in a formula. This article provides an overview with many links and examples.
Excel Formula Errors
Formula errors are useful because they tell you clearly that something is wrong in a worksheet. This guide shows examples of each of the Excel formula errors you might run into and provides information on how to investigate and correct the error. It also explains two methods to quickly find errors in a worksheet or workbook.
How to lookup first and last match
If VLOOKUP finds more than one match, will you get the first match or the last match? It's a trick question. It depends :) This article explains this confusing topic in detail, with lots of examples.
Excel formulas and functions
Most people never receive proper Excel training and spend years frustrated by the simplest tasks, especially tasks that involve formulas. To use Excel with confidence, you must have a good understanding of formulas and functions. This article introduces the basic concepts you need to know to be proficient with formulas in Excel.
The double negative in Excel formulas
The double negative coerces TRUE or FALSE values to their numeric equivalents, 1 and 0. This is a useful technique in many advanced formulas that work with cell ranges.
101 Excel Functions you should know
Excel contains over 500 functions, with more functions added every year. That is a huge number, so where should you start? This guide provides a walkthrough of over 100 important functions in Excel with many examples and links. Click function names for details and more examples.
How to use formula criteria (50 examples)
Criteria are a key concept in Excel, but building useful criteria for text, numbers, dates, times, etc. is hard because it requires a good understanding of how Excel handles data. This guide will help you build formulas that work the first time with over 50 examples.
Excel shows formula but not result
Have you entered a formula, but Excel is not showing a result? This can be very confusing, and you might think you've somehow broken your spreadsheet. However, it's likely a simple problem. With a little troubleshooting, you can get things working again.
29 ways to save time with Excel formulas
Working with formulas takes time, and too often a problem that seems simple ends up taking far too long. In this article, I share tips that will save you time when working with formulas in Excel.
How to use INDEX and MATCH
INDEX and MATCH is the most popular tool in Excel for performing more advanced lookups. This is because INDEX and MATCH are incredibly flexible – you can do horizontal and vertical lookups, 2-way lookups, left lookups, case-sensitive lookups, and even lookups based on multiple criteria. If you want to improve your Excel skills, INDEX and MATCH should be on your list. See below for many examples.
How to make dependent dropdown lists in Excel
One of the most useful features of data validation is the ability to create a dropdown list that let users select a value from a predefined list. But how can you make one dropdown dynamically respond to another? In other words, how can you make the values in a dropdown list depend on another value in the worksheet? Read on to see how to create dependent dropdown lists in Excel.
Excel Data Validation Guide
Data validation can help control what a user can enter into a cell. You can use data validation to make sure a value is a number, a date, or to present a dropdown menu with predefined choices to a user. This guide provides an overview of the data validation feature, with many examples.
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