Excel Formulas

Excel Formulas Made Easy

It can be very frustrating to try and determine what the problem is when using formulas in Excel. No matter how experienced you are in using this software program, it is inevitable that at some point you will make an error in a calculation. Below are some easy hints and tips to help prevent making some basic errors when using Excel formulas:

The Equal Sign

Every Excel formula no matter how simple or complex needs to start with the equal sign. Often people just forget to insert this symbol and it is the first thing you should look for when the formula you have entered into a cell just isn’t working. It is important to also familiarise yourself with the other numerous symbols that are used in Excel.

Using the Formula Bar

There are two ways in which you can enter a formula in a cell for Excel spreadsheets. You can select a cell and then enter the data that is required for the calculation to function. Alternatively you can use the formula bar that is located just below the Excel toolbar. Using the formula bar instead of entering data directly into a cell will help you detect any errors that you may be making especially for long and complicated calculations.

Data Variations

When using a figure that must change as you develop a spreadsheet, don’t enter the figure into the formula. Rather place the cell reference for the varying figure into the calculation so that it will change within the formula as the figure changes within the spreadsheet. This is a common error where people either forget to change the varying number in the formula or forget to refer to its cell location.

Order of Operations

You need to follow the order of operations when entering a number of formulas into one cell. Always first enter multiplication sums followed by division and then addition and lastly subtraction. If you do not follow this order in Excel formulas you will end up with an incorrect result or the formula just will not function. To ensure that you are always using the correct order of operations you can access the Excel help menu for more information on how this works.

Automatic Formula Functions

There are over 300 automatic Excel formulas that you can use the most popular of course being AutoSum. It is preferable to use these automatic functions to complete simple calculations or to insert in more complex calculations to prevent errors occurring. Using the Automatic Excel formulas will also save you time in developing spreadsheets and ensuring that the data, information and results that are gained are correct.

The Correct Function to Use

It can be difficult to determine whether you are using the correct function within a formula. It is best to use the search functions options to find the right function to relate to the result that you want to obtain. Simply type the type of formula that you are looking for in the search bar and Excel will provide you with one or more suitable function with an explanation for each for you to choose from.

Keeping these few tips in mind can go a long way to not only solving problems that you may be having when using Excel formulas but to ensuring that you get the correct results within your Excel spreadsheets. There are however many more things that you need to learn to ensure that you are using the formulas optimally and it is recommended that you enrol on an advanced Excel training course if you use Excel formulas on a regular basis.