Excel 2007
Working with Basic Functions
Basic functions
Watch the video! (11:34 min)
Download the example to work along with the video.
The parts of a function:
Each function has a specific order, called syntax, which must be strictly followed for the function to work correctly.
Syntax order:
- All functions begin with the = sign.
- After the = sign, define the function name (e.g., Sum).
- Then there will be an argument. An argument is the cell range or cell references that are enclosed by parentheses. If there is more than one argument, separate each by a comma.
An example of a function with one argument that adds a range of cells, A3 through A9:
An example of a function with more than one argument that calculates the sum of two cell ranges:
Excel literally has hundreds of different functions to assist with your calculations. Building formulas can be difficult and time consuming. Excel's functions can save you a lot of time and headaches.
