Objectives. By the end you should be able to define function, state the parts of a function, explain how to insert functions lists the categories of functions describe how to search for a specific function. Functions form a very important part in Excel, it is what makes Excel one of the most powerful productivity software suits available for business use. function is nothing but a predefined formula that performs calculations using specific values provided by the user and in a particular order. Excel includes many common functions like sum, average, count, etc. which are performed on the range of cells.

Now in order to use functions correctly, one need to understand the different parts Have the functions and how to create arguments to calculate values, and cell references. Now let's see what the parts of a function are. In order for a function to work correctly, it must be written in specifically, the way in which it is written is called as a syntax. The basic syntax of a function is as follows. You have to write an equal sign in a cell, where we want a function, then the function name for example, we can use some we can use average and one or more arguments. arguments are nothing but references to the cells, which contain information that we want to calculate.

A function in an example given below would add the values of the cell, a one to 820 arguments can refer to both individual cells and tissues. ranges as we wanted in the parenthesis, one can use a single argument or multiple arguments, depending on our requirement. Let us take a small example to demonstrate this. I have written some random numbers in these cells. Now, if I want to calculate sum of these cells, which are highlighted, I would write equal to sum, open parenthesis, select the cells with the mouse, close parenthesis, and enter. Now, here, what Excel has done is it has added all these numbers.

If we look at the formula bar over here at the top, it is summing up the cell. Now, this is a type of a single argument. What if I want a number of arguments to be added in a function that's easily possible? Let's look at the same example. What if I want to add these numbers with these two numbers, and this number, I would write in this cell equal to some open parenthesis. With my mouse, I'm selecting these cells, I will put a comma, select the other cells, put a comma and select the last cell.

With close parenthesis, I would press Enter. Now here, I can see that I can add a number of arguments and calculate these values. This was a simple way to add a few numbers. Now Excel has about 100 different types of functions in it. Do I have to memorize all the functions in order to use them? Not really.

Excel has a simple way to go about it. It has classified the functions in different categories. On the top ribbon, you can go to the Formulas tab Below the Formulas tab, we can see that there are more number of functions, which are categorized as AutoSum. Recently Used financial, logical text related functions, date and time related functions, look up and reference mathematics and trigonometry and more functions. So with this tab, we can easily figure out which functions we want to use. One can insert a function by looking from these categories, or by selecting Insert Function and searching for the function that we want.

Once we start making our own functions, it could become easier for us to memorize few recently used functions, and we would be able to quickly form functions right from the Excel sheet, just the V i showed you Summary you have learned what is the function parts of a function, inserting functions, categories of functions, searching for a function