Excel Custom Formulas: A Complete Guide from Basic to Advanced.
1.Formula input basis
In Excel, formulas are the key to calculations and data processing. To enter a formula in a cell, first make sure you are in the correct cell, then enter the equal sign "=", and then enter your calculation formula. For example, to calculate 1+1 in cell A1, you should enter "=1+1".
2.Calculations are performed using functions
Excel has hundreds of built-in functions, ranging from simple math calculations to complex data analysis. For example, use the sum function to calculate the sum of one or more columns of data. Supposing you want to calculate the sum of a1 to a10, you can enter "=sum(a1:a10)" in any cell.
3.Reference other cells
In the formula, you can directly refer the values of other cells for calculation. For example, if there is a numeric value of 10 in cell B1 and a numeric value of 20 in cell C1, you can enter "=B1+C1" in cell D1 to calculate the sum of the two.
4.Custom formulas are advanced
Conditional judgment: Use the if function to determine the condition. For example, to determine whether the value of cell B1 is greater than the value of cell C1, "=if(b1>c1,"Yes","Nope")”。
Text processing: Concatenate text using the concatenate function or the "&" symbol. For example, if you connect a1 and b1, "=a1&b1" or "=concatenate(a1,b1)".
Date and time calculations:excel provides rich date and time functions, such as today() returns the current date, and now() returns the current date and time.
Array formulas: For more complex calculations, you can use array formulas to handle a range of values. After entering the array formula, press Ctrl+Shift+Enter instead of just Enter to confirm.
Error handling: Use the iferror function to handle errors that may occur in the formula, for example, "=iferror(a1 b1,"Wrong""Error" is displayed when b1 is 0 instead of error**.
5.Debugging and optimizing formulas
Formula review: Use Excel's Formula Audit tool to check for errors and reference issues in formulas.
Step-by-step calculations: For long and complex formulas, you can split it into several steps, use intermediate cells to store intermediate results, and make the calculation process clearer.
Avoid full column references: Try to avoid using whole column references (e.g., a:a), as this can lead to computational inefficiencies. Only quote the range you really need.
With the above guide, you should have mastered how to customize formulas in Excel for various calculations. Whether it's simple math or complex data processing and analysis, Excel can provide you with strong support. With practice and exploration, you will be able to become more proficient in solving various problems with Excel.