What are the 10 most useful Excel functions that you need to know?
Which of the 500 existing functions in Excel are the ones you need every day? Here is a list of the 10 most useful Excel functions with examples. You can also click on each link to read more about each function.
#1: SUM function
The SUM function is the most widely used Excel function in the world. It is present in all Excel workbooks without exception. Don't underestimate this function! Many people still write A1+A2+A3+A4+ .... when they want to add cells together.
This function is so useful that you can create a sum directly from the ribbon (like in this example) or with the shortcut Alt+=
#2: IF function
In many situations, you must compare 2 data against each other. Depending on the test result, you will have to return a different answer. It is in this kind of situation that the IF function will prove to be very useful.
- Build a nested IF in Excel
- Evaluate your level with the IF, IFS and IFERROR functions
- Build a Logical Test in Excel
- Logical Test – Beginner Level
- Logical Test – Intermediate Level
#3: COUNTIF and COUNTIFS
The COUNTIF function in Excel offers the benefits of quickly and accurately counting the occurrences of a specific criterion within a range of cells.
It simplifies data analysis, enables efficient tracking of data patterns, and provides valuable insights for decision-making, all in a concise and user-friendly manner.
- COUNTIF can use only one column for the criterion
- COUNTIFS can calculate the number of rows for 256 columns of criteria maximum.
#4: SUMIF and SUMIFS
The SUMIF and SUMIFS functions in Excel count and sum values based on specified criteria or many criteria for SUMIFS. This allows for more advanced calculations and analysis compared to the simpler counting functionality of the COUNTIF function.
#5: UNIQUE function
As the name suggests, the UNIQUE function will return a list of data without duplicates. Its use is straightforward because it is enough to fill the column to be treated.
#6: FILTER
The FILTER function was released in 2018 and has become one of the most useful Excel functions.
The FILTER function in Excel provides several benefits: efficient data filtering, flexibility to extract specific information, simplified data analysis, improved visibility of relevant data, and enhanced productivity by automating filtering tasks.
#7: XLOOKUP
The XLOOKUP function in Excel offers advantages over VLOOKUP, such as searching in any column, handling unsorted data, returning multiple matches, and supporting vertical or horizontal lookups.
It simplifies and enhances data retrieval tasks with increased flexibility and efficiency.
#8: TRIM
Because most raw data are not clean, the TRIM function in Excel removes leading, trailing, and extra spaces within a cell, resulting in cleaner and more consistent data. Of course, you must also perform a paste special in value to keep only the result and not the formula.
- Functions LEFT – RIGHT – MID
- Create a test on String Length with LEN
- Capitalize the first letter in Excel
#9: TEXTJOIN
The TEXTJOIN function in Excel allows for quick and easy concatenation of multiple text values. It simplifies complex formulas, improves data organization, and enhances readability by eliminating the need for manual text manipulation.
#10: DATE
The DATE function in Excel creates a valid date based on individual year, month, and day values. It helps perform calculations, comparisons, and date-related operations in spreadsheets, facilitating data analysis and organization.
