In Office 2011 for Mac, Excel has hundreds of built-in functions that you can use in cell formulas. While you type a function in a cell formula, a pop-up menu appears. The following example uses Excel’s built-in SUM function.
Start with a blank worksheet.
Type 1 into both cells A1 and B1.
The value of 1 displays in cells A1 and B1.
In cell C1, type =S.
While you type, a pop-up menu showing all worksheet functions beginning with the letter S displays. Look at all the functions that start with the letter S! Right now, you’re interested in the SUM function.
Choose SUM from within all those S options in the pop-up menu with the arrow keys on your keyboard; then press the Enter or Tab key. Don’t type anything else for now.
Excel displays =SUM(|) with the vertical bar indicating the insertion cursor is ready to fill in the argument.
Drag over the range A1:B1.
Excel enters the cell range for you and you don’t have to worry about making a typing mistake. Is that neat or what?
(Optional) You can manually type the argument.
Click the green Enter button to finish.
Excel displays the value of the formula in cell A1 and displays the formula containing the SUM function in the Formula bar.
The SUM function is so popular that it has its own button! You can find it by clicking the Ribbon’s Formulas tab, and in the Function group, clicking AutoSum. Click a range of contiguous numbers and then click the button and choose a SUM function. Excel deduces the range for you and enters the formula.
When you enter a cell formula that includes a function, Excel shows you the function’s name and its syntax. The function’s name is blue and is underlined like a hyperlink. That’s because it’s a link to the Help topic for that particular function.
Each function is thoroughly documented with complete sample data and examples so that you can easily see how to use it. To display the complete list of all functions by category, click the Ribbon’s Formulas tab, and in the Function group, click Reference. Click a disclose triangle to display a list of that category’s functions. In the disclosed list, clicking a function name displays detailed information about the function, including how to properly use the function’s arguments. Some topics explain the calculations used by the function to arrive at its result.
Fortunately, the header row of a data table always stays in the same place, so you can lock it like a normal cell reference in Excel. In the example formula above, that’s exactly what we did: B$1. This notation ensures that when the formula is dragged across, it will reference Row 1 in the current column at all times. Standard Mac keyboard with 12 function keys As you know, function keys are uses for many shortcuts in Excel. For example, you can use F1 for help, F7 for spelling, and shift + F3 to insert a function. But if you try these shortcuts directly on a Mac, they don't work. Note: The dollar sign $ is used to anchor the formula so it can be copied without producing errors. The number 2 at the end of the formula tells Excel the information you want returned in Column 2 (letter grade) from the Grade sheet (Example 8, sheet 2). Written in Excel terms, it “toggles absolute and relative references”. If you can’t get it to work, here’s why: 1: You are using a MAC. The F4 shortcut to lock a reference only works on Windows. If you’re running MAC, use the shortcut: ⌘ + T to toggle absolute and relative references.
1.Basic Formula In Excel
Decide which cells in your formula need to be anchored and which do not. Single cells that are used by every iteration of the formula need to be anchored. Cell references that are different for each iteration of the formula do not need to be anchored.
Example: A1 B1 should update to A1 B2. A1 will be the cell reference that will be anchored.
2.
How To Anchor A Formula In Excel For Mac Download
3.
Select the cell with the formula in it. Drag the black square in the lower-right corner of the cell over the cells for the formula to be copied to.
The SUM function is so popular that it has its own button! You can find it by clicking the Ribbon’s Formulas tab, and in the Function group, clicking AutoSum. Click a range of contiguous numbers and then click the button and choose a SUM function. Excel deduces the range for you and enters the formula.
When you enter a cell formula that includes a function, Excel shows you the function’s name and its syntax. The function’s name is blue and is underlined like a hyperlink. That’s because it’s a link to the Help topic for that particular function.
Each function is thoroughly documented with complete sample data and examples so that you can easily see how to use it. To display the complete list of all functions by category, click the Ribbon’s Formulas tab, and in the Function group, click Reference. Click a disclose triangle to display a list of that category’s functions. In the disclosed list, clicking a function name displays detailed information about the function, including how to properly use the function’s arguments. Some topics explain the calculations used by the function to arrive at its result.
Fortunately, the header row of a data table always stays in the same place, so you can lock it like a normal cell reference in Excel. In the example formula above, that’s exactly what we did: B$1. This notation ensures that when the formula is dragged across, it will reference Row 1 in the current column at all times. Standard Mac keyboard with 12 function keys As you know, function keys are uses for many shortcuts in Excel. For example, you can use F1 for help, F7 for spelling, and shift + F3 to insert a function. But if you try these shortcuts directly on a Mac, they don't work. Note: The dollar sign $ is used to anchor the formula so it can be copied without producing errors. The number 2 at the end of the formula tells Excel the information you want returned in Column 2 (letter grade) from the Grade sheet (Example 8, sheet 2). Written in Excel terms, it “toggles absolute and relative references”. If you can’t get it to work, here’s why: 1: You are using a MAC. The F4 shortcut to lock a reference only works on Windows. If you’re running MAC, use the shortcut: ⌘ + T to toggle absolute and relative references.
1.Basic Formula In Excel
Decide which cells in your formula need to be anchored and which do not. Single cells that are used by every iteration of the formula need to be anchored. Cell references that are different for each iteration of the formula do not need to be anchored.
Example: A1 B1 should update to A1 B2. A1 will be the cell reference that will be anchored.
2.
How To Anchor A Formula In Excel For Mac Download
Insert a '$' sign before the letter and the number of the cell reference to be anchored. Example: Replace 'A1' with '$A$1'.
3.
Select the cell with the formula in it. Drag the black square in the lower-right corner of the cell over the cells for the formula to be copied to.
4.
Verify that each cell has the intended formula and result.
