Let’s face it. You already know the SUMs & COUNTs of Excel. But what should you learn next? There are more than 400 functions in Excel and most of them are useless for day-to-day situations. So, in this page, let me highlight the TOP 10 EXCEL FUNCTIONS for data analysis work.
The TOP 10 Excel Functions
Here are the top 10 functions you should learn and master first.
- SUMIFS
- XLOOKUP
- FILTER
- COUNTIFS
- INDEX
- EDATE
- UNIQUE
- TEXTJOIN
- SORT
- IFERROR
TOP 10 Excel functions - Video
If you want to understand what these functions are how to use them either read on or watch the below video.
1. SUMIFS
Use SUMIFS to add up values that meet one or more conditions. Example uses:
- Total sales to England
- Total donations made to charity cause A in the last 7 days
SUMIFS Syntax
SUMIFS(values you want to add,
condition 1 range, condition 1,
condition 2 range, condition 2…)
SUMIFS example
=SUMIFS(A1:A10, B1:B10, “London”)
Adds up all values in A1:A10 where B1:B10 is London
Learn more about SUMIFS:
2. XLOOKUP
Use XLOOKUP to search for a value in a list and return corresponding value from another list. For example:
- Get due date for invoice number 934
- Find price for the product code PR023
👉🏼 XLOOKUP Syntax
XLOOKUP(value to find,
list to look in,
what do you want to get,
what to do if not found)
💡 XLOOKUP example
=XLOOKUP(“Almond Choco”, Product[name], Product[price])
Finds the price of Almond Choco in the Product table.
Learn more about XLOOKUP:
3. FILTER
Use FILTER to filter a list or table and see matching results for your criteria. This is a dynamic array function. That means, if there are more than one values, Excel automatically spills the values and shows them on the sheet. For example:
- List all sales records for “John”
- Find out which students have attended all sessions of Physics-301 class.
👉🏼 FILTER Syntax
FILTER(your data, filter criteria
what to show if no values are filtered)
💡 FILTER example
=FILTER(Product, Product[price]>20)
Lists all the Product table rows where the price is more than 20.
4. COUNTIFS
Use COUNTIFS to count how many values meet one or more conditions in your data. For example:
- Number of times “Adam” exceeded $1,000 order value
- How many recipes use Paprika?
👉🏼 COUNTIFS Syntax
COUNTIFS(condition 1 list, condition 1,
condition 2 list, condition 2…)
💡 COUNTIFS example
=COUNTIFS(Orders[name], “Adam”, Orders[value],”>1000″)
Counts how many times Adam’s order value is more than 1000.
Learn more about COUNTIFS:
5. INDEX
Use INDEX to get a value in a list by specifying the position. INDEX formula returns the reference instead of a value. This makes it quite versatile. It is my favorite Excel function.
For example:
- What is the 12th item in the invoice list?
- Get all the values in 3rd column of the order data.
👉🏼 INDEX Syntax
INDEX(your data, row number, column number)
💡 INDEX example
=INDEX(FILTER(Product[name], Product[price]>20), 3)
Returns the 3rd product name which has price more than 20. Here, INDEX is reading the output of FILTER.
Learn more about INDEX:
6. EDATE
Use EDATE to calculate a future or past date after a specified number of months.
For example:
- What is the date 7 months after project start date?
- What is the date exactly two years ago from today?
👉🏼 EDATE Syntax
EDATE(date, months)
💡 EDATE example
=EDATE(TODAY(), -24)
Returns the date exactly two years ago from today.
Learn more about Date functions:
7. UNIQUE
Use UNIQUE to remove any duplicates in your list. This is a Dynamic Array Function, so Excel will return and spill multiple values if needed.
For example:
- What products are sold?
- Which students have joined only one sports club?
👉🏼 UNIQUE Syntax
UNIQUE(your data)
💡 UNIQUE example
=UNIQUE(Order[Product])
Returns all the products from Order table. If a product appears multiple times, it will show up only once.
Learn more about UNIQUE function:
8. TEXTJOIN
Use TEXTJOIN to combine a bunch of values with a specified delimiter.
For example:
- Combine all product names to one text value with comma delimited.
- All names of students who joined Maths 203 course in March 2022.
👉🏼 TEXTJOIN Syntax
TEXTJOIN(delimiter, ignore empty values?, your data)
💡 TEXTJOIN example
=TEXTJOIN(“, “,TRUE,
FILTER(Enrollments[name], Enrollments[course]=”Maths-203″))
Combines all student names in the Maths-203 program in comma separated format.
Learn more about TEXTJOIN function:
9. SORT
Use SORT to sort a list or table in ascending or descending order. This is a Dynamic Array Function, so Excel will spill your outputs as needed.
For example:
- Sort the Orders table to show highest values on top.
- List students by department and name in alphabetical order.
👉🏼 SORT Syntax
SORT(your data, sort column, sort order)
💡 SORT example
=SORT(Enrollments, {1,2}, {1,1})
Sorts the Enrollments table in the ascending (alphabetical) order by department and student name (columns 1 & 2 of the table).
Learn more about SORT function:
10. IFERROR
Use IFERROR to stop error messages from showing up on the screen.
For example:
- Calculate sales commission but print 0 if there is an error.
- Get the 10th item of a filtered list, but show “not enough items” if there is an error.
👉🏼 IFERROR Syntax
IFERROR(your formula, error message to show)
💡 IFERROR example
=IFERROR(INDEX(FILTER(Product[name], Product[price]>20), 10), “Not enough items”)
Tries to get the 10th product with price >20, but if there is an error, prints “Not enough items”.
Learn more about IFERROR function:
Download Example Workbook
I have prepared an Excel file with 20+ examples for these important functions. Click here to download and play with the workbook.
Change the values / formulas or use the data set to develop your own formulas.
More on Formulas & Functions
If you are just starting out, I suggest focusing and mastering the above 10 functions first. But if you are ready to next level, then go thru the below articles & resources for more.
- 35 shortcuts & tricks to make you an #AWESOME Data Analyst
- 100+ Excel formula examples
- 15+ Examples of SUMIFS & COUNTIFS (video)
- COURSE: Excel formulas & other important skills for Data Analysis – Excel School
Happy learning.
39 Responses to “11 very useful excel keyboard shortcuts you may not know”
You asked about a favorite keyboard shortcut: I often right click the navigation arrows at the bottom of an Excel workbook to get a list of the worksheets. I can click the one I want without having to scroll left or right.
I regularly use the networkdays(x,y,z) function to show the number of working days between two given dates. To exclude public holidays I reference a list of dates ("z" in the above reference) which I periodically update to reflect upcoming non-working days. To keep the sheet looking tidy for other users, I like to hide this column when I'm done, and then unhide it when I update the sheet.
With 40 separate workbooks to edit, these shortcuts make it a breeze...
? Hide selected column: CTRL+0 [zero]
? Unhide hidden column(s) within selection: CTRL+SHIFT+) [closed parenthesis]
If an "Autofit Selection" keyboard shortcut (not just a key sequence) existed, I'd be as happy as a clam!
you can use Alt+o+c+a to autofit selection
Is there a way to auto arrange the column width as you enter the data. Without a macro
You may use alternative key of hide the selected cell by ---print + H key
Unhide---prnt+U keys
You may use alternative key of hide the selected cell by ---print + H key
Unhide---prnt+U keys
[...] 11 very useful excel keyboard shortcuts you may not know [...]
[...] 11 very useful excel keyboard shortcuts [...]
[...] an Excel Conditional Formatting Rock Star 11 very useful excel keyboard shortcuts 73 Free Designer Quality Excel Chart Templates Tracking mutual fund / Stock portfolios using Excel [...]
Hello Chandoo, thanks for sharing this information. With some of the shortcuts I seem to have difficulties as they do not seem to work on the German keyboard.
Can you maybe verify that those combos are only working with the keyboard setup you are using? What would be a good source to lookup combinations for other layouts?
Regards, 1xoid1
@1xoid1 ... Thanks for visiting PHD and taking timeout to ask your question. Unfortunately all my German can be summarized to one phrase: "guten tag".
I wont be able to help you, but I can request other readers to respond. So if you know German or use German keyboard and can answer 1xoid1's question, then you get a free donut.
Guten Tag 🙂
To Sam Krysiak.
Shortcut to Autofit Selection (assuming you mean autofit columns). If you right click toolbar, click customise. From Commands tab/Categories select Built-in Menus.
In Categories window scroll down and select Columns and drag drop it onto toolbar. Then click the new toolbar Columns button and drag drop Autofit button onto your toolbar (note Autofit for Columns will no longer appear in your menus, only on toolbar).
Remove Columns button from toolbar (if you want to keep clutter down) drag and drop it off of your toolbar.
Close Customise box.
Now to Autofit columns just press "Alt" then "A".
Comment 8 correction - 2nd paragraph should read
"In Commands window...
@1xoid1:
Read the following text as follows: The key ,[;] is the one right to the M on the German keyboard. Here are the differences you have to know when using a German keyboard:
2. Press strg .[:] for inserting the current date (and strg shift .[:] for inserting current time)
3. Press strg ,[;] to copy values from cell above
8. Press strg shift –[_] to apply an outline border
10. Press strg-shift S to activate the font drop down (Schriftgroesse)
11. Press strg-shift G to activate the font size (Groesse)
Number 10 and 11 do not work with Excel 2007 anymore, but strg-shift-P shows the font tab of the cell format dialogue in Excel 2007.
All other shortcuts should work on a German keyboard exactly as Chandoo described them.
More information needed? Download a complete list with all shortcuts for Microsoft Excel in German (for free):
http://www.freeware-download.com/downloaddetails/5655.html
@Chandoo: please do not send a donut, unless you are able to attach one to an email. Otherwise the donut might be able to walk by itself, when it arrives here in Germany...
I forgot to mention:
For all readers using an English keyboard: Chip Pearson offers a comprehensive list of Excel shortcuts on the English keyboard:
http://www.cpearson.com/excel/ShortCuts.aspx
[...] your own keyboard shortcuts in Excel 2007, knowing a few keyboard shortcuts in excel is a huge help. Lyte Byte describes a nifty way to create your own key board shortcuts in [...]
[...] Select a bunch of cells and click on the Sigma symbol on the standard tool bar. Alternatively you can use Alt+= keyboard shortcut. [...]
I do some data entries column A,column B ,Column C , A and B have 10 to 12 digit codes , C has the names ; Kindly suggest me a format or formula for excel to avoid duplication of entries in all the the three columns.
Regards,
Prashant
@Prashant... You can use conditional formatting to highlight duplicate entries in the three columns. That way whenever you type a dupe value in a cell the formatting would highlight the values so that you can avoid the error.
check this post for more on using this way to handling duplicates: http://chandoo.org/wp/2008/03/13/want-to-be-an-excel-conditional-formatting-rock-star-read-this/
If you are looking for a way to remove duplicates from an existing range, you can try one of the various techniques we have described here. Try these tips:
http://chandoo.org/wp/2008/11/06/unique-duplicate-missing-items-excel-help/
http://chandoo.org/wp/2008/08/01/15-fun-things-with-excel/
[...] good alternative (although manual) is to use keyboard shortcuts CTRL + ; or CTRL + : to insert current date and time in the active cell. Since this places the [...]
Your site doesn't correctly work in safari browser
Hi GesyimmeliA: Can you tell me which version of Safari on which OS has this problem. I use Macbook at home and loaded the site quite often in Safari and never seen any layout or content issues. Are you facing any script issues while posting comments or somethings like that ?
Hey Chandoo. Great site. Learning lots.
My favorite Excel shortcut has got to be Alt+Down when over an autofilter drop down. Learning that changed my life. That was one of the last things I needed to use a mouse for. Changed my life.
[...] are a big advocate of keyboard shortcuts. I think learning a handful of keyboard shortcuts can improve your productivity tremendously, [...]
My favourit keyboard shortcut is control and 1 (use the 1 above the letters on the keyboard, not the number pad) for format cells.
Favourite shortcut: alt + shift + right/left arrow for grouping/ungrouping!
[...] Select a bunch of cells and click on the Sigma symbol on the standard tool bar. Alternatively you can use Alt+= keyboard shortcut. [...]
[...] clicking on these: excel keyboard shortcuts, excel mouse tips & tricks, excel productivity tips part 1 & part [...]
Martin Williamson thanks for the autofit tip! You rock.
In order to generate charts/bar graph with a single key:
1. Select the data
2. Press F11
3. Magic.... 🙂
F3 = Paste a Name or the entire list of Names
Crtl + F3 = Name Manager
Crtl + : = Inserts current time.
F12 = Save As
Mistake!
Crtl + Shift + : = Inserts current time.
SIR U R THE BEST PERSON WHO SHARES A WONDERFULL AND IMPORTANT TIPS IN EXCEL. THANKS AND KEEP ROCKING.
How do i hide / unhide a work sheet using the keyboard.
Great!
Other useful excel shortcuts
http://webtutorialplus.blogspot.com/2012/01/excel-quick-tip-useful-encoding-hotkeys.html
input in one cell 1a23bc output in two cell one of 123 and other one is abc how to possible, please help me.
Hey cool shortcuts but excel have more shortcuts then you listet.
i find a big database of supportet shortcuts for Excel 2007 here
http://www.veodin.com/excel-2007-shortcuts/
[...] INTEREST Date with my sheet – 10 tips on using date / time in excel http://chandoo.org/wp/2008/07/29/excel-keyboard-shortcuts/ [...]
Great article with some very useful follow-up comments and tips.
One simple question … how do you vertically align the drop-down filter button in a cell with a larger than normal height?
It’s easy enough to do so with a cell’s contents but the drop-down filter button stubbornly remains at the bottom and I need it at the top!
I’ve looked everywhere and haven’t located an explanation to what I am sure is considered an Excel basic.
Cheers