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What are the most used formulas in Excel?

Author

Matthew Harrington

Updated on January 02, 2026

Top 10 Most Useful Excel Formulas

  • SUM, COUNT, AVERAGE. SUM allows you to sum any number of columns or rows by selecting them or typing them in, for example, =SUM(A1:A8) would sum all values in between A1 and A8 and so on.
  • IF STATEMENTS.
  • SUMIF, COUNTIF, AVERAGEIF.
  • VLOOKUP.
  • CONCATENATE.
  • MAX & MIN.
  • AND.
  • PROPER.

What is Excel formulas and functions?

The basics of Excel formulas Formula is an expression that calculates values in a cell or in a range of cells. For example, =A2+A2+A3+A4 is a formula that adds up the values in cells A2 through A4. Function is a predefined formula already available in Excel.

What do Excel formulas mean?

The mean is calculated by adding up a group of numbers and then dividing the sum by the count of those numbers. In Microsoft Excel, the mean can be calculated by using one of the following functions: AVERAGE- returns an average of numbers.

What is V Look formula in Excel?

VLOOKUP stands for ‘Vertical Lookup’. It is a function that makes Excel search for a certain value in a column (the so called ‘table array’), in order to return a value from a different column in the same row.

How do I memorize formulas in Excel?

The AutoSum shortcut is Alt + =. That’s the Alt button and the “equals” button, just in case it looks confusing. Just select the range you want to sum, hit Alt + =, and Excel will place the formula in the next available cell.

Which is an example of formula?

A formula is an expression which calculates the value of a cell. For example, cell A3 below contains a formula which adds the value of cell A2 to the value of cell A1. For example, cell A3 below contains the SUM function which calculates the sum of the range A1:A2.

What is basic Excel knowledge?

Excel is an incredibly powerful tool for getting meaning out of vast amounts of data. You put data in your cells and group them in rows and columns. That allows you to add up your data, sort and filter it, put it in tables, and build great-looking charts. Let’s go through the basic steps to get you started.

What is Xlookup?

XLOOKUP is the newest member of Excel lookup function family. You may already know its siblings – VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, INDEX+MATCH, LOOKUP etc. XLOOKUP allows us to search for an item in a range (or table) and return matching result. In a way, it is similar to VLOOKUP, but offers so much more.

How do I compare two lists in Excel?

Compare Two Lists

  1. First, select the range A1:A18 and name it firstList, select the range B1:B20 and name it secondList.
  2. Next, select the range A1:A18.
  3. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click Conditional Formatting.
  4. Click New Rule.
  5. Select ‘Use a formula to determine which cells to format’.

How do you explain a formula?

Formula – Definition with Examples The formula is a fact or a rule written with mathematical symbols. It usually connects two or more quantities with an equal to sign. When you know the value of one quantity, you can find the value of the other using the formula.

How do I use Excel formulas?

Create a simple formula in Excel

  1. On the worksheet, click the cell in which you want to enter the formula.
  2. Type the = (equal sign) followed by the constants and operators (up to 8192 characters) that you want to use in the calculation. For our example, type =1+1. Notes:
  3. Press Enter (Windows) or Return (Mac).

How can I learn Excel quickly?

5 Tips for Learning Excel

  1. Practice Simple Math Problems in Excel. When it comes to Excel, it’s easiest to start with basic math.
  2. Learn How to Create Tables.
  3. Learn How to Create Charts.
  4. Take Excel Training Courses.
  5. Earn a Microsoft Office Specialist Certification.

Can you teach yourself Excel?

You can teach yourself everything from the most basic Excel functions to complex programming using readily available or free online resources. You can take online university courses in Excel or take advantage of the many online tutorials and downloadable course guides.