Formula Basics
Pyyhkäise näyttääksesi valikon
The moment you type =, Excel stops storing a value and starts computing one.
A cell containing 1500 is just a stored number — it never changes unless you retype it. A cell containing =D3+D4+D5 is a relationship — it recalculates automatically whenever D3, D4, or D5 change.
Formula
An expression beginning with = that tells Excel to compute a value from operators, cell references, functions, or literal values — rather than storing a fixed number. The result updates automatically whenever any referenced cell changes.
The Arithmetic Operators
You can use Excel as a direct calculator without any cell references — just type =2500*12 or =(1500+800)/2 directly into a cell. Useful for quick one-off calculations. The result is static though — it won't update if the numbers were meant to come from cells.
BODMAS
Excel evaluates formulas in a strict priority order, not left to right. Getting this wrong produces silent errors — the formula runs without complaint, but the number is wrong. Type a formula below to see how Excel evaluates it step by step:
- B Brackets — anything inside
()is evaluated first, in innermost-to-outermost order; - O Orders / Powers — exponentiation with
^is next; - DM Division and Multiplication — evaluated left to right at the same priority level;
- AS Addition and Subtraction — last, also evaluated left to right.
=10+20/2 gives 20, not 15 — division runs before addition. To get 15: =(10+20)/2. Always use parentheses to make the intended order explicit when mixing operators. When in doubt, add brackets — they cost nothing and prevent silent errors.
The Function
Function
A function is a built-in formula that performs a specific calculation automatically. You give it inputs — called arguments — and it returns a result. Instead of writing the logic yourself, you call the function by name and Excel does the work.
Every Excel function follows a clear pattern:
=FUNCTION_NAME(argument1, argument2, ...)
=tells Excel you're writing a formula;FUNCTION_NAMEis the operation (e.g.,SUM,AVERAGE);argumentsare the inputs the function uses (numbers, cells, ranges, structured references).
Excel functions use delimiters to separate arguments, but the delimiter can vary depending on your Excel version and regional settings. It can be , comma or ; semicolon.
This difference is tied to system language and number formatting (e.g., decimal separators). If a formula doesn't work, check which delimiter your Excel version expects.
The arguments can take different forms:
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