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Entering functions
There are several ways of entering functions into a spreadsheet:
- Using the Insert Function button
- Using the AutoSum list
- Manually entering the function
Using the Insert Function button
The Insert Function button is located near the top of the screen, adjacent to the formula bar:
Clicking the Insert Function button activates the Insert Function dialogue box and provides access to the large range of functions available in Excel.
Once the Insert Function dialogue box is open:
- Select the function you wish to use from the available list and click OK or
- Type the name of the function you wish to use in the Search for a function area, press Enter, select the function when it appears in the list and click OK.
In the Function Arguments dialogue box, click the button with the red arrow to select the range of cells to enter into the formula from the spreadsheet, then click OK.
Try it!
On Sheet 1 of Sales report.xls type Average into cell A12.
Use the Insert Function button to calculate average actual and target sales for each quarter in row 12.
Using the AutoSum List
The dropdown arrow next to the AutoSum button provides access to common functions, and the Insert Function dialogue box.
To insert function using the AutoSum list:
- Select the cell where the formula is to appear in the spreadsheet
- Select the function you wish to use from the AutoSum list
- Check the formula to ensure it is accurate - edit the formula if necessary
- Press Enter to confirm the formula and display the formula result.
Try it!
On Sheet 1 of Sales report.xls type Minimum into cell A13.
Use the AutoSum list to calculate minimum actual and target sales for each quarter in row 13.
Entering functions manually
All the common functions follow the same basic structure:
=function name(cell:cell) or =function name(cell,cell,cell)
Therefore formulas containing functions can be typed directly into a cell in the spreadsheet.
Try it!
On Sheet 1 of Sales report.xls type Maximum into cell A14.
Enter formulas to calculate maximum actual and target sales for each quarter into row 14.
Type No. of employees into cell A15.
Use any one of the three methods for inserting functions to enter the COUNT function into cell B15. The COUNT function can be used on cells that contain values, to determine how many values there are. In this case, we want to know how many employees there are.
Handy hint:
By changing the function from COUNT to COUNTA, cells containing labels can be counted as well as cells containing values.
Using AutoCalc
The AutoCalc feature in the status bar at the bottom-right of the Excel window can be used to find the result of using a particular function on cells that have been selected in the spreadsheet.
Right-click on the AutoCalc area to select other functions - SUM shows by default.
The AutoCalc feature
