Excel Tips II - Functions
Microsoft Excel has so many features and it can do so much, that sometimes it’s hard to know where to start.
This list of Excel tips will give you straightforward answers on how to carry out a variety of tasks related to Excel Functions including Excel's IF function.
Examples are included to make understanding the steps involved even easier to follow. The list keeps growing so check back often to see what new Excel tips have been added.
Also Read:
Excel Function Tips
Date Functions
There are a number of date functions available in Excel. Depending on your needs, you can use a date function in Excel to return the current date, the current time, or the day of the week. This article covers the most commonly used date functions used in Excel.
Excel's COUNT Function
Excel’s COUNT function is one of a group of “Count Functions” that can be used when you need to total the number of cells in a selected range.The COUNT function will add up the number of cells in a selected range that contains numbers.
Using the COUNTA Function in Excel
Although similar to the COUNT function above, the COUNTA function is a little more versatile. The COUNTA function will count up the number of cells containing data – either numbers or labels in a selected range rather than just cells containing numbers, which is what the COUNT function does.
Excel AVERAGE Function
Excel’s AVERAGE function is one of the “Statistical Functions” that are included with the program. The AVERAGE function can be used to find the average, or arithmetic mean, of values in a selected range of cells.
The Excel OR function
The OR function is one of Excel’s Logical Functions. Logical functions, in general, only give you only a true or false answer. They evaluate the contents of a cell to see if it meets the specified criteria. If so, the function returns a True response. If not, a False statement is returned.
Excel IF Functions
The IF function is one of Excel’s most useful functions. What it does is test to see whether a certain condition is true or false. If the condition is true, the function will do one thing, if the condition is false, the function will do something else. Below are a number of tips on using the IF function in different situations.
Nesting IF Functions in Excel
To increase the flexibility of the function, one IF function can be "nested" inside another. Read this article to find out how to nest one IF function inside another.
Leaving Blank Cells With the IF Function
One option for using the IF function is to have it leave cells blank, depending on whether the tested condition is true or false.
Enter Text with the IF Function
A second option when using the IF function is to have it enter different words into a cell, depending on whether the tested condition is true or false.
Using the IF Function to Enter Data
A third option for using the IF function is to have it enter values or numbers into target cells, depending on whether the tested condition is true or false.
Performing Calculations with the IF Function
A fourth option for using the IF function is to have it perform different calculations depending whether the function returns a true value or not.
IF Function Comparison Operators
The logic test section of an Excel IF function is always a comparison between two values. To accomplish this, a “comparison operator”, such as the greater than symbol ( > ), is always placed between the two amounts being compared. This article is a handy list of the different comparison operators that can be used in Excel IF functions.
