Functions Excel 2016

Introduction

A function is a predefined formula that performs calculations using specific values in a particular order. Excel includes many common functions that can be used to quickly find the sum, average, count, maximum value, and minimum value for a range of cells. In order to use functions correctly, you'll need to understand the different parts of a function and how to create arguments to calculate values and cell references.

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Watch the video below to learn more about working with functions.

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The parts of a function

In order to work correctly, a function must be written a specific way, which is called the syntax. The basic syntax for a function is the equals sign (=), the function name (SUM, for example), and one or more arguments. Arguments contain the information you want to calculate. The function in the example below would add the values of the cell range A1:A20.

Working with arguments

Arguments can refer to both individual cells and cell ranges and must be enclosed within parentheses. You can include one argument or multiple arguments, depending on the syntax required for the function.
For example, the function =AVERAGE(B1:B9) would calculate the average of the values in the cell range B1:B9. This function contains only one argument.

Multiple arguments must be separated by a comma. For example, the function =SUM(A1:A3, C1:C2, E1) will add the values of all of the cells in the three arguments.

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Creating a function

There are a variety of functions available in Excel. Here are some of the most common functions you'll use:

• SUM: This function adds all of the values of the cells in the argument.
• AVERAGE: This function determines the average of the values included in the argument. It calculates the sum of the cells and then divides that value by the number of cells in the argument.
• COUNT: This function counts the number of cells with numerical data in the argument. This function is useful for quickly counting items in a cell range.
• MAX: This function determines the highest cell value included in the argument.
• MIN: This function determines the lowest cell value included in the argument.

To create a function using the AutoSum command:

The AutoSum command allows you to automatically insert the most common functions into your formula, including SUM, AVERAGE, COUNT, MIN, and MAX. In the example below, we'll use the SUM function to calculate the total cost for a list of recently ordered items.

1. Select the cell that will contain the function. In our example, we'll select cell D13.
   
2. In the Editing group on the Home tab, click the arrow next to the AutoSum command. Next, choose the desired function from the drop-down menu. In our example, we'll select Sum.
   
3. Excel will place the function in the cell and automatically select a cell range for the argument. In our example, cells D3:D12 were selected automatically; their values will be added to calculate the total cost. If Excel selects the wrong cell range, you can manually enter the desired cells into the argument.
   
4. Press Enter on your keyboard. The function will be calculated, and the result will appear in the cell. In our example, the sum of D3:D12 is $765.29.
   

The AutoSum command can also be accessed from the Formulas tab on the Ribbon.

To enter a function manually:

If you already know the function name, you can easily type it yourself. In the example below (a tally of cookie sales), we'll use the AVERAGE function to calculate the average number of units sold by each troop.

1. Select the cell that will contain the function. In our example, we'll select cell C10.
   
2. Type the equals sign (=), and enter the desired function name. You can also select the desired function from the list of suggested functions that appears below the cell as you type. In our example, we'll type =AVERAGE.
   
3. Enter the cell range for the argument inside parentheses. In our example, we'll type (C3:C9). This formula will add the values of cells C3:C9, then divide that value by the total number of values in the range.
   
4. Press Enter on your keyboard. The function will be calculated, and the result will appear in the cell. In our example, the average number of units sold by each troop is 849.
   

Excel will not always tell you if your formula contains an error, so it's up to you to check all of your formulas. To learn how to do this, read the Double-Check Your Formulas lesson from our Excel Formulas tutorial.

The Function Library

While there are hundreds of functions in Excel, the ones you'll use the most will depend on the type of data your workbooks contain. There's no need to learn every single function, but exploring some of the different types of functions will help you as you create new projects. You can even use the Function Library on the Formulas tab to browse functions by category, such as Financial, Logical, Text, and Date & Time.
To access the Function Library, select the Formulas tab on the Ribbon. Look for the Function Library group.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about the different types of functions in Excel.

Lookup & Reference

The Lookup & Reference category contains functions that will return results for finding and referencing information. For example, you can add a hyperlink to a cell (HYPERLINK) or return the value of a particular row and column intersection (INDEX).

To insert a function from the Function Library:

In the example below, we'll use the COUNTA function to count the total number of items in the Items column. Unlike COUNT, COUNTA can be used to tally cells that contain data of any kind, not just numerical data.

1. Select the cell that will contain the function. In our example, we'll select cell B17.
   
2. Click the Formulas tab on the Ribbon to access the Function Library.
3. From the Function Library group, select the desired function category. In our example, we'll choose More Functions, then hover the mouse over Statistical.
   
4. Select the desired function from the drop-down menu. In our example, we'll select the COUNTA function, which will count the number of cells in the Items column that are not empty.
   
5. The Function Arguments dialog box will appear. Select the Value1 field, then enter or select the desired cells. In our example, we'll enter the cell range A3:A12. You may continue to add arguments in the Value2 field, but in this case we only want to count the number of cells in the cell range A3:A12.
6. When you're satisfied, click OK.
   
7. The function will be calculated, and the result will appear in the cell. In our example, the result shows that a total of 10 items were ordered.