Basic Guide to Microsoft Excel Formulas

Microsoft Excel novices may be intimidated by the thought of using Microsoft Excel formulas. However, using Excel formulas is much easier than you might think. In fact, the software will guide you through the entire process, letting you know about potential errors and even helping you to pick which Excel formula is right for you. Once you start using Excel formulas, you'll quickly be able to use these formulas for a variety of purposes.

Getting Started: Choosing a Microsoft Excel Formula
The first step to using Microsoft Excel formulas is to choose the "Function" option from the "Insert" menu. Once you have chosen the "Function" option, you will see a pop-up box which will give you two options. If you don't know which function that you would like to use, you can choose to search for an Excel formula by typing in a description of what you would like the formula to do. For example, if you would like your Excel formula to add several numbers, you can type "add numbers" in the input box and all of the formulas which add numbers will appear. In addition, you can click on the Excel formulas that are shown in order to get a full description of what the function will do, which will allow you to pick the formula that will work best for you. If you want to view additional formula options, you can also use the drop-down menu to select an Excel formula category (such as Financial or Math) to view the available formulas in each area.

Using Your Microsoft Excel Formula
Once you have decided which Microsoft Excel formula you would like to use, you have several options in proceeding. If you are unsure of what to input into the Excel formula fields, then you can choose the "Help on this Function" option at the bottom of the pop-up box. This will provide detailed information on the Excel formula inputs, as well as an example on how this formula can be used. If you have decided which Excel formula you would like to use, and understand which inputs to enter, choose "OK". You will then be prompted to enter the inputs to your Excel formula (note that you can still choose "Help on this Function" at this point if you are still unsure of what inputs to enter).

When you have finished entering the inputs of your Excel formula, you can then choose "OK" and your formula will be entered into the cell you have chosen. Excel will let you know if there are any issues with your formula. You will also want to look at the results to determine if they make sense to you.

As you can see, using Microsoft Excel formulas is much easier than you may have thought, especially with the wide amount of system help available. Good luck as you get started (not that you will need it!).