TODAY FUNCTION
=TODAY()
• When you enter the TODAY function in a cell, Excel
returns the current date by using the following Date
format:
7/23/2011
• Keep in mind that the date inserted into a cell with
the TODAY function is not static. Whenever you open
a worksheet that contains this function, Excel
recalculates the function and updates its contents to
the current date.
NOW FUNCTION
• The NOW function gives you the current date and time
based on your computer's internal clock.
• Like the TODAY function, NOW takes no arguments and is
automatically recalculated every time you open the
worksheet:
=NOW()
• If the current date was November 7, 2010, and the current
time was 2:22 p.m. at the moment when Excel calculates
the NOW function, your cell would contain the following
entry:
11/7/2010 14:22
FORMAT NUMBERS
Select the cells that you want to format. One the
Home tab, in the Number group, click the Dialog Box
Launcher next to Number (or jus press CTRL+1).
In the Category list, click the format that you want to
use, and then adjust settings, if necessary. For example,
if you’re using the Currency format, you can select a
different currency symbol, show more or fewer decimal
places, or change the way negative numbers are
displayed.
Format
General
Number
Currency
Accounting
Description
The default number format that Excel applies when you
type a number. For the most part, numbers that are
formatted with the General format are displayed just the
way you type them. However, if the cell is not wide
enough to show the entire number, the General format
rounds the numbers with decimals. The General number
format also uses scientific (exponential) notation for large
numbers (12 or more digits).
Used for the general display of numbers. You can specify
the number of decimal places that you want to use,
whether you want to use a thousands separator, and how
you want to display negative numbers.
Used for general monetary values and displays the default
currency symbol with numbers. You can specify the
number of decimal places that you want to use, whether
you want to use a thousands separator, and how you want
to display negative numbers.
Also used for monetary values, but it aligns the currency
symbols and decimal points of numbers in a column.
Format
Description
Date
Displays date and time serial numbers as date values,
according to the type and locale (location) that you
specify. Date formats that begin with an asterisk (*)
respond to changes in regional date and time settings
that are specified in Control Panel. Formats without an
asterisk are not affected by Control Panel settings.
Time
Displays date and time serial numbers as time values,
according to the type and locale (location) that you
specify. Time formats that begin with an asterisk (*)
respond to changes in regional date and time settings
that are specified in Control Panel. Formats without an
asterisk are not affected by Control Panel settings.
Percentage
Multiplies the cell value by 100 and displays the result
with a percent (%) symbol. You can specify the number of
decimal places that you want to use.
Fraction
Displays a number as a fraction, according to the type of
fraction that you specify.
Format
Description
Scientific
Displays a number in exponential notation, replacing part
of the number with E+n, where E (which stands for
Exponent) multiplies the preceding number by 10 to the
nth power. For example, a 2-decimal Scientific format
displays 12345678901 as 1.23E+10, which is 1.23 times
10 to the 10th power. You can specify the number of
decimal places that you want to use.
Text
Treats the content of a cell as text and displays the
content exactly as you type it, even when you type
numbers.
Special
Displays a number as a postal code (ZIP Code), phone
number, or Social Security number.
Custom
Allows you to modify a copy of an existing number
format code. Use this format to create a custom number
format that is added to the list of number format codes.
You can add between 200 and 250 custom number
formats, depending on the language version of Excel that
is installed on your computer.
Cell Referencing
Absolute Reference: A reference that does not change
when copied. It is specified with a dollar sign in front
of both the row and column. ($G$3)
Relative Reference: A reference that adjusts during a
copy operation and is specified without dollar signs.
(G3)
Mixed Reference: a reference that adjusts either the
row or column reference but not both. It is specified
with a single dollar sign. ($G3 or G$3)
Cell referencing is important during a move
or copy operation.
Copy: Duplicate the contents of a cell or range.
Move: Transfer the contents of a cell or range.
Range: Rectangular group of cells, which are
specified by indicating the diagonally
opposite corners
Sample Cell Reference in a Formula
A1 Relative address of the cell in row A and column 1; both the
row
header and column header may change when the
formula is
copied.
$A$1 Absolute address of the cell in row A and column 1; both the row
header and column header remain constant when the
formula is
copied.
A$1
Absolute row, relative column addressing; only the
may change if copied to
horizontally.
column header
$A1
Relative row, absolute column addressing; only the row header
may change if copied vertically.
R1C1
Relative addressing; refers to one column down and one
column right when the formula is copied.
COUNT FUNCTION
COUNT: Arguments that are numbers, dates, or text
representations of numbers are counted; arguments
that are error values or text that cannot be
translated into numbers are ignored.
Syntax: COUNT(number1,number2, ...)
• Number1, number2, ... are 1 to 30 arguments for
which you want to count.
COUNTA FUNCTION
• COUNTA: Counts the number of cells that are
not empty Empty text “ “ is counted.
Syntax: COUNTA(number1,number2, ...)
• Number1, number2, ... are 1 to 30 arguments
for which you want to count.
COUNTIF FUNCTION
• COUNTIF: Counts the number of cells in a
given range that meets a given criteria.
Syntax: COUNTIF(range, criteria)
eg. =COUNTIF(E2:E26,"A")
IF FUNCTION
=IF (condition, value_if_true, value_if_false)
value returned for a false condition
value returned for a true condition
condition is either true or false
Relational Operators
= Equal to
<> Not equal to
< Less than
>
Greater than
<= Less than or equal to
>= Greater than or equal to
1
2
A
10
10
B
15
30
=IF (A1=A2, 1000, 2000)
=IF (A1<>A2, 1000, 2000)
=IF (A1=A2, B1, B2)
=IF (A1<B2, MAX(B1:B2), MIN(B1:B2))
=IF (A1<A2, B1+10, B1-10)
=IF (A1=A2, C1, C2)
=IF (SUM(A1:A2)>20, “Go”, “Hold”)
C
April
May
VLOOKUP FUNCTION
Searches for a value in the leftmost column
of a table, and then returns a value in the
same row from a column you specify in the
table.
VLOOKUP (lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, range_lookup)
Lookup_value: value to be found in the first column of the array.
Table_array: the table of information in which data is looked up.
If range_lookup is TRUE, the values in the first column of table_array must be
placed in ascending order: ..., -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, ..., A-Z, FALSE, TRUE; otherwise
VLOOKUP may not give the correct value. If range_lookup is FALSE, table_array
does not need to be sorted.
*** Uppercase and lowercase texts are equivalent.
Col_index_num: the column number in table_array from which the matching value
must be returned.
Range_lookup: a logical value that specifies whether you want VLOOKUP to find an
exact match or an approximate match. If TRUE or omitted, an approximate match
is returned. In other words, if an exact match is not found, the next largest value
that is less than lookup_value is returned. If FALSE, VLOOKUP will find an exact
match. If one is not found, the error value #N/A is returned.