Excel Beginners

Intro To Formulas: Step 3 To Mastering Spreadsheets

Understanding inputs and outputs

About this Guide

This guide will be introducing the concept of formulas within Excel. This includes an explanation of what a function is, how functions work, and the utility of a function within a formula.

There is always more to learn within Excel, and as such it is important to have a strong base of knowledge. This guide will be divulging information which is critical to be able to grow a more advanced skillset. For long-time users of Excel, it is possible that they have learned many of these things through trial and error, as well as their own explorations of Excel. It is even more likely, however, that even these users will learn something new through this guide.

Once the basics of formula construction have been explained, some of the more basic functions will be covered. With over five hundred functions available depending on your version of Excel (don’t worry, older versions still carry over 300 functions!) there is no shortage of opportunity for learning and improvement. That being said, in most use cases, I believe that approximately one hundred to one hundred and fifty functions can be classed as useful and productive.

While this may seem like a small percentage of the total available to users, the average user most likely does not know how to use one hundred and fifty functions without consulting the quick format guide for many of them. This is not only acceptable but encouraged, these tools are at our disposal, and if needing to reference a formatting guide from time to time means you will grasp an additional twenty functions then by all means do so! Knowledge is key, and knowing a wider variety of the functions available to you will trump an in depth knowledge of a lesser number of functions in most circumstances.

While this guide is labelled as a tool for beginners, there is a strong chance even an experienced Excel user will find value in reading this! There are aspects of formula building which many users never experience simply due to the lack of a need for it. This does not make them any less important or valuable.

Goodluck, and happy learning!

- Matthew Di Minno