

A function nested within the SUM function would be a third-level function, and so on. In the example above for instance, the SUM function is a second-level function because it is an argument of the AVERAGE function. When Function B is used as an argument in Function A, Function B is a second-level function. Nesting level limits A formula can contain up to eight levels of nested functions. If it doesn't, the list or library displays a #VALUE! error value. For example, if the argument uses Yes or No, then the nested function must return Yes or No. Valid returns When a function is used as an argument, it must return the same type of value that the argument uses.

For example, the following formula uses a nested AVERAGE function and compares the result with the sum of two column values. In certain cases, you may need to use a function as one of the arguments of another function. Arguments can also be constants, formulas, or other functions. The argument that you designate must produce a valid value for that argument. Each function takes a specific number of arguments, processes them, and returns a value.Īrguments Arguments can be numbers, text, logical values such as True or False, or column references. Structure The structure of a function begins with an equal sign (=), followed by the function name, an opening parenthesis, the arguments for the function separated by commas, and a closing parenthesis.įunction name This is the name of a function that is supported by lists or libraries. The following vocabulary is helpful when you are learning functions and formulas: For example, the following instance of the ROUND function rounds off a number in the Cost column to two decimal places. Functions can be used to perform simple or complex calculations. Else, it returns No.įunctions are predefined formulas that perform calculations by using specific values, called arguments, in a particular order, or structure. The ISNUMBER function returns Yes if the FIND function returned a numeric value. It returns an error value if the string is not found. The FIND function searches for the string BD in Column1 and returns the starting position of the string. The DEGREES function converts a value specified in radians to degrees. The PI function returns the number 3.141592654. The SUM function adds the return value of the IF function and the value in column C. The IF function returns the difference between the values in columns A and B, or 10. The following formulas specify one or more functions as function arguments. This formula returns the number 15.įormulas with nested functions (such as =SUM(IF(>, -, 10), )) Returns Not OK if cost is greater than revenue. Returns the largest value in a set of values.

The following formulas call built-in functions. Returns Yes if the value in the Revenue column is greater than the value in the Cost column.įormulas that call functions (such as =AVERAGE(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)) The following formulas refer to other columns in the same list or library.

The following formulas contain constants and operators.įormulas that contain column references (such as = >) Here are some examples of formulas (in order of complexity). The * (asterisk) operator multiplies, and the ^ (caret) operator raises a number to a power.Ī formula might use one or more of the elements from the previous table. Numbers or text values entered directly into a formula, such as 2. represents the value in the Result column for the current row. The PI() function returns the value of pi: 3.141592654. A formula can contain functions, column references, operators, and constants, as in the following example. You can use a formula in a calculated column and to calculate default values for a column. For example, the following formula multiplies 2 by 3 and then adds 5 to the result. In this articleįormulas are equations that perform calculations on values in a list or library. For specific information about a particular function, see the article about that function. Note: This article describes the basic concepts related to using formulas and functions.
