Wednesday, September 1, 2010

5 Quick & Easy Excel Functions

Microsoft Excel is a very helpful tool when you need to analyze data. Using the preset excel functions can expedite this analyzing by introducing features designed to do most of the hard work for you.


There are some basic rules to follow when using formulas and functions:


1. They must begin with an equal sign. If you don't do this, the function won't work.


2. If you use parenthesis, you must close them.


SUM


Sum is also known as Autosum. Autosum adds up a range of values. The values can be in an contiguous range or random cells separated by commas. This is one of the easiest functions to use.


COUNT


Count lets you count the numerical values in a range of selected cells. Use this when you need to see how many values in a selected range are "numbers".


MIN


Minimum finds the smallest value in a selected list.


MAX


Maximum finds the largest value in a selected range.


AVERAGE


Average finds the average value from a selected list.


All of these functions are helpful because they can quickly summarize and calculate your data in a quick and concise manner. Once you get the hang of these simple functions, you can move on to more advanced functions and formulas to further crunch data in your spreadsheet.


These functions can be used in the same worksheet, workbook, or connected to different worksheets or workbooks. Your options are nearly limitless as long as you understand the basics! Remember to follow the rules and your excel function journey should be seamless!

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