Anatomy of an Excel formula: Use built-in functions to calculate answers

Overview Sometimes we take for granted what users know. While Microsoft Excel may be familiar to you, if you are on a help desk you will have to explain how the application works to users that fall within a vast range of skill level and knowledge. This series of Excel tutorials can make that training much simpler. A formula is a recipe that lets you make calculations in Excel based on any number of factors.

The first truly "killer application" for the modern personal computer was the electronic spreadsheet. This application is appealing to users because it is so flexible—everything from simple flat file databases to breakeven analysis are available through the venerable spreadsheet. The primary building block for all that versatility is the formula, which is at its most fundamental level a recipe that lets you make calculations based on any number of factors. This download shows you how the basic formula system works in Microsoft's Excel by examining the syntax and usage for several built-in functions, including sum, average and count. By the end of this document, you will know how to create your own formulas in Excel.

This download tutorial deals with the fundamentals of Excel formulas, but there is so much more to learn. What aspects, functions, commands, and/or features would you like to see covered in future installments of the series?

You can get access to the entire Excel series using this link to the excel anatomy tag

This download is also available as a TechRepublic article.