MS Excel is as a powerful spreadsheet software and has indeed revolutionized the way people manage and analyze data, gradually replacing traditional pen and paper methods. An important part of Excel is the use of Formulas – preprogrammed instructions for doing a particular task. This article contains 5 most important Excel formulas for everyday tasks.
For teachers MS Excel is a versatile tool that holds significant importance in various aspects of one’s work – management, grading, visualization, charting, attendance tracking, and so on. Solution providers such as Gibbon do provide automations for the above listed tasks, but still educators must learn these most important Excel formulas by heart in case they may need them in an emergency.
1. CONVERT
Ever wondered how to convert Kilometers into Meters, Seconds into Hours, Km/hr to m/s? Well Excel has a neat function to do that, and its called as CONVERT()
= CONVERT(number, from_unit, to_unit)
See: Measurement System Supported by CONVERT
CONVERT is one of the important excel functions, particularly when it comes to verifying a result, or dealing with international clients. The CONVERT function supports a wide range of units, including length, area, volume, mass, time, temperature, pressure, energy, and more. Some commonly used units include inches, centimeters, pounds, kilograms, hours, minutes, Celsius, Fahrenheit, and so on.
By using the CONVERT function, you can easily perform unit conversions within your Excel spreadsheets, eliminating the need for manual calculations or external conversion tools. A important Excel function, CONVERT provides convenience and accuracy when working with different measurement systems or when you need to present data in a specific unit of measurement.
2. VLOOKUP
VLOOKUP is one of the important Excel formulas for teachers due to its usefulness in various scenarios. VLOOKUP allows you to retrieve data from a table based on a specific lookup value. It simplifies the process of finding and extracting information from large datasets, saving time and effort compared to manual searching.
=VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])
Here:
- lookup_value: The value you want to search for.
- table_array: The range of cells that contains the lookup value and the corresponding values. Ensure that the lookup column is the leftmost column in this range.
- col_index_num: The column number in the table_array from which you want to retrieve the value. Count from the leftmost column in the table_array, starting with 1.
- range_lookup: [Optional] This parameter specifies whether you want an exact match or an approximate match. Use “TRUE” or “1” for an approximate match (default if omitted), or “FALSE” or “0” for an exact match.
See: Video on How to Use VLOOKUP
3. IF
Another of the Excel important formulas, IF is used to evaluate statements based on whether they fulfill a given criteria. For example, to check whether a student has passed or failed in a test, you can apply Excel formula as:
=IF(A1 >= 60, “Pass”, “Fail”)
Note that modern WL services such as Gibbon have extensive Analytical Tools which makes the IF statement a bit obsolete. But still it is a handy formula to learn when manually handling tasks.
= IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value_if_false)
Here:
- logical_test: The condition or test that you want to evaluate. It should return either TRUE or FALSE.
- value_if_true: The value that should be displayed if the logical_test evaluates to TRUE.
- value_if_false: The value that should be displayed if the logical_test evaluates to FALSE
4. FILTER
FILTER is one of the underrated Excel formulas, since one can easily filter data by using Menu options in Excel. Morever, the need for this important excel formula is further diminished with the integration of several dropdown menus in WL portals like Gibbon.
That being said, do not be mistaken into believing that learning FILTER function is redundant. Not at all, in fact it is still one of the most important Excel formulas to be learned by beginners.
The FILTER function in Excel is used to extract specific data from a range or table based on certain criteria or conditions. Unlike the Menu option, FILTER function results can also be tabulated in a new column, which can be further operated on.
=FILTER(array, include, [if_empty])
Here,
- array: The range or array of data that you want to filter.
- include: The condition or criteria that determine which data should be included in the filtered result.
- if_empty: [Optional] The value to be returned if no data meets the specified criteria. If omitted, the FILTER function returns an empty array.
See: Video on How to Use ‘FILTER’
For example,
Assume you have a table of sales data with columns for product names (A2:A10), sales quantities (B2:B10), and sales prices (C2:C10). You want to filter the data to display only the products with sales quantities greater than or equal to 100. The Excel formula to do so would be:
=FILTER(A2:C10, B2:B10 >= 100)
5. COUNTIF
COUNTIF is an important Excel formula that lets users count the number of cells within a range that meet a specific condition or criteria. COUNTIF allows users to quickly determine how many cells in a given range satisfy a particular requirement.
=COUNTIF(range, criteria)
Here,
- range: The range of cells that you want to evaluate.
- criteria: The condition or criteria that determine which cells to count.
For example,
Assume you have a list of students’ scores in cells A2 to A10, and you want to count the number of scores that are greater than or equal to 80. Then the Excel formula would be:
=COUNTIF(A2:A10, “>=80”)
See: Video on How to Use ‘COUNTIF’
That were the 5 most important formulas for Excel. By learning important formulas in Excel, one can equip himself/herself with powerful toolset for data analysis, problem-solving, and efficient data management. So keep learning, keep practicing and keep discovering new Excel formulas.
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