Essential Excel Functions & Shortcuts To Boost Your Productivity
Essential Excel Functions & Shortcuts To Boost Your Productivity
1. Basic Calculations
● SUM: =SUM(range)
Quickly adds values in a range. Use ALT + = to auto-insert SUM for
selected cells.
● AVERAGE: =AVERAGE(range)
Calculates the mean, useful for general data analysis.
● COUNT, COUNTA, COUNTBLANK:
○ COUNT(range) – Counts numeric values.
○ COUNTA(range) – Counts non-blank cells.
○ COUNTBLANK(range) – Counts blank cells.
These help assess data completeness and manage missing values.
● ROUND, ROUNDUP, ROUNDDOWN: =ROUND(number, num_digits)
Controls decimal places, essential for financial reports and consistent
formatting.
● MIN and MAX:
○ MIN(range) – Finds the smallest number.
○ MAX(range) – Finds the largest number.
Useful for identifying limits in data, like minimum and maximum
sales.
● PRODUCT: =PRODUCT(range)
Multiplies all numbers in a range, handy for compound calculations.
● SUBTOTAL: =SUBTOTAL(function_num, range)
Calculates metrics (sum, average, count) for filtered data only.
● ABS: =ABS(number)
Provides the absolute value, helpful in situations where only magnitude
matters, such as variance analysis.
● VLOOKUP / HLOOKUP:
○ VLOOKUP: =VLOOKUP(value, table, column_index,
[range_lookup])
○ HLOOKUP: =HLOOKUP(value, table, row_index, [range_lookup])
Useful for looking up data in structured tables. Use FALSE for exact
matches and TRUE for approximate.
● INDEX & MATCH:
○ INDEX: =INDEX(array, row_num, [column_num])
○ MATCH: =MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_type])
A flexible alternative to VLOOKUP, especially when data isn’t in the
first column.
● XLOOKUP (Excel 365/2019): Combines VLOOKUP and
INDEX/MATCH. =XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array,
[if_not_found], [match_mode], [search_mode])
● FILTER (Excel 365/2019): =FILTER(array, include, [if_empty])
Dynamically filters data, great for creating interactive dashboards.
● CHOOSE: =CHOOSE(index, option1, option2, …)
Selects from multiple values, useful for scenarios or conditional options.
● OFFSET: =OFFSET(reference, rows, cols, [height], [width])
Creates dynamic ranges, useful for adjusting data visualization with growing
datasets.
3. Text Functions
5. Conditional Functions
6. Data Summarization
● PIVOT TABLES:
Useful for summarizing and analyzing large datasets. Customize with
drag-and-drop fields to view key metrics like sums, averages, and counts.
● Conditional Formatting:
Adds color or visual highlights to data based on specific conditions, making
patterns stand out.
● CHARTS & SPARKLINES:
Visualizes data trends. Sparklines fit in cells to show small-scale trends.
● Use Dynamic Arrays (Excel 365+) to simplify formula usage and reduce
repetition.
● Combine Functions: INDEX & MATCH, or VLOOKUP with IFERROR
for versatile, error-proof lookups.
● Table References (e.g., Table1[Column1]) adjust automatically to data size
changes.
● Sparingly Apply Conditional Formatting to avoid cluttering visuals.
● Shortcuts: Regularly use shortcuts to improve speed and navigation across
data, such as CTRL + Arrow Keys for quick movement.