EXCEL Learning

Top 10 Excel Functions
Which of these functions do you use most often?

This post contains EVERYTHING you can do in excel 😱👇

Excel continues to be the #1 tool used for Finance & Accounting professionals…

and for good reason.

With excel, there are pretty much no limits to what you can accomplish.

Lucky for you, I’ve summarized everything that you can do in excel, and where you can find each resource.

Let’s do a walk through it all 👀 :

📁 File → access & manage key areas of your workbook

This is where most people start out when they open an excel file…

here you can create a new file…open an existing file..

access a template…or access key options.

🏠 Home → access your clipboard, font, alignment, number format, cell styles, and filters

My favorite tools here are:

• Set paste options - whether that be pasting values, formatting, or as a picture

• Control cell aesthetics - whether that be fonts, colors, sizing, borders, and more

• Change cell format - whether that be as a number, currency, date, or more

• Formatting cells - whether that be conditional formatting, cell styles, insert, or deleting cells

⬆️ Insert → insert different elements into your excel file

this is where we get one of my favorite excel tools…

tables & pivottables

But there’s so much more that you can do in this section, such as…

• inserting shapes & illustrations

• inserting charts

• sparklines

and much more

📄 Page Layout → format your document for how it will look printed

Gonna print your document? This section has got you covered

I especially find this one useful when preparing pitch decks

🔣Formulas → manage your formulas

oh man…so much ot say on this one.

First…check out this post from a few weeks back on every formula you need to know in excel:

https://lnkd.in/eHu_QAjg

Then, master this section by learning:

• Formula auditing → how you can avoid & debug errors

• Watch window → monitor the value of a specific cell as you switch between tabs

and much more

🔢Data → manage, analyze, and transform your data

BIG section…because it introduces my favorite tool…

power query

Something that you ABSOLUTELY need to learn.

Here you can also:

• Set data validation / drop downs

• Group / ungroup

And much more

🧐Review → ensure accuracy, collaboration, and security

favorite tools here are protecting a range from being edited, and utilizing notes / comments

👀View → control how the workbook is displayed on the screen

favorite tools here are to hide gridlines, and duplicate a window on a 2nd monitor

🤖Developer → write macros, use ActiveX controls, or create applications

favorite tools here are to add active x / form controls for easy buttons

31 FREE Resources to Master EXCEL

Day 1 → Everything you can do in

🔍 Bottom menu bar → control tabs, access cell mode indicator
and more

===

That’s about everything you can do in excel…

but there’s so much more that I couldn’t share given the 3,000 character limit.

What would you add?

Let us know in the comments below 👇

PS: Download this in high resolution for free from the link on the bottom of the graphic

The Ultimate Excel Handbook - your perfect guide for the upcoming Microsoft Excel World Championship 2025! 📚

❗️Download a free high-resolution PDF on our website (link in the picture).

Preparing for the Microsoft Excel World Championship Online Qualification Round on September 27? 🏆

Whether you're aiming for the top or just want to sharpen your skills, this handbook is your perfect companion.

This Excel Handbook has all the important things you need to know to succeed at the Microsoft Excel World Championship starting on September 27!

👉🏼 Register by September 25: https://excel-esports.com/product/mewc-2025/

1️⃣ Functions & Formulas

Top 10 Functions - https://lnkd.in/eWbPEK9h

100 Excel Function - https://lnkd.in/d67WHtVT

Excel Functions Pyramid - https://lnkd.in/dXKBxRcT

Excel Functions Decision Tree - https://lnkd.in/dg_nv8jm

XLOOKUP Guide - https://lnkd.in/dcJUehgY

VLOOKUP vs. XLOOKUP - https://lnkd.in/dwfVib2E

XLOOKUP vs. FILTER - https://lnkd.in/dV-W92Uk

SUMIFS Cheatsheet - https://lnkd.in/dFXQtU7s

IF Function Cheatsheet - https://lnkd.in/dx3pVHhf

XMATCH Cheatsheet - https://lnkd.in/dCdW_TvH

INDEX/MATCH Cheatsheet - https://lnkd.in/dPPyHutx

2️⃣ 5 Excel Features You Should Know - https://lnkd.in/d3fbtK5r

3️⃣ Excel Shortcuts

Excel Shortcuts Cheatsheet -https://lnkd.in/dp86tr9s

Excel Shortcuts Handbook - https://lnkd.in/dG7egHbw

4️⃣ 12 Excel Mistakes to Avoid - https://lnkd.in/dCX8RJse

5️⃣ 10 Common Excel Errors - https://lnkd.in/dvGkGaNe

6️⃣ 10 Reasons Why Excel Is The Best Spreadsheets Tool - https://lnkd.in/dCFkxK5b

7️⃣ Excel Alphabet - https://lnkd.in/d-tEqXYw

8️⃣ Mastering Large Data Sets - https://lnkd.in/dhTfN7iG

9️⃣ Getting Started with Python in Excel - https://lnkd.in/daibGtwQ

🔟 History of Microsoft Excel - https://lnkd.in/e2rWUvzb

Excel enthusiasts, this is your ultimate guide to boost your game and prepare for competition. Start leveling up today and get ready to dominate the MEWC arena! 💪🏼✨

Save this post and share it with your network! 🤝🏼

📣 Sign up for the Microsoft Excel World Championship: https://excel-esports.com/product/mewc-2025/

Follow Financial Modeling World Cup for more educational content! ✅

🌟 Meet the Top 32 Seeded Players of the Microsoft Excel World Championship 2025! 🌟

These competitors have climbed the rankings and secured their place at the very top of the bracket.

Each player brings strategy, skill, and lightning-fast logic to the game, but only one will claim the title of the Microsoft Excel World Champion in Las Vegas this December, 1-3.

💡 Do you think you’ve got what it takes to challenge them?

Join the Online Qualification Round on September 27 and earn your shot at the championship.

Registration closes September 25 👉🏼 https://excel-esports.com/product/mewc-2025/

Congratulations to all the seeded players:

1. Diarmuid Early 🇮🇪
2. Andrew Ngai 🇦🇺
3. Sergio Trifiletti 🇮🇹
4. Michael Jarman 🇬🇧
5. Jack Franken 🇺🇸
6. Anders Richter Lindén 🇩🇰
7. Jean Wolleh 🇩🇪
8. Grayson Huynh 🇦🇺
9. Zhang Yunyi 🇨🇳
10. Tim Froelich 🇺🇸
11. Nick Boberg, 🇳🇿
12. Chris Clarke 🇬🇧
13. Coby Dombrowsky 🇺🇸
14. Juan José Cifuentes Frerk 🇨🇱
15. Timothy Shue 🇦🇺
16. Benjamin Weber 🇦🇹
17. Peter Scharl, 🇺🇸
18. Lorenzo Foti 🇮🇹
19. Jeremy Freelove 🇺🇸
20. Willem Gerritsen 🇳🇱
21. Pakkapong Sricharoen 🇹🇭
22. Danny Whittaker 🇸🇬
23. Adam Carter 🇨🇦
24. Hadyn Wiseman 🇬🇧
25. Eljon Noel Orillosa 🇵🇭
26. Sameer Jagetia 🇺🇸
27. Julien Lacaze 🇷🇪
28. Ben Gutscher 🇨🇳
29. Alexander Freedman 🇺🇸
30. Eric Ashton 🇺🇸
31. Patrick Chatain 🇨🇴
32. Ha Dang 🇬🇧

❗️Note:

The top 32 seeds were assigned based on the player standings in the World Rankings. The top 8 seeds will not meet each other in the online rounds. The top 32 seeds will not meet each other until the stage of the Last 32, when the spot in the Arena in Las Vegas is guaranteed.

There are a total of 8 bracket sections, 32 players each. 3 of these sections will be playing all of their matches at 8 AM London time, while the other 5 sections will be playing at 5 PM London time. Also note that, according to the rules, we were slightly adjusting the seeds to accommodate the time zones – this is why the #31 seed Patrick Chatain from Colombia was seeded in the bracket section of Diarmuid Early (PM timezone), not Andrew Ngai (AM timezone).

See the exact seedings in this PDF file:https://fmworldcup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/MEWC-Main-Draw.pdf

There were a couple of tie-breakers in the World Rankings that were solved using the “Best Current Form” rule – whoever performed better in the last stage of RTLV was ranked higher. This meant that Ha Dang, while being tied on points, went ahead of Stevenson Yu and, unfortunately, pushed Stevenson outside of the seeded player list.

The full draw will happen live on our YouTube channel on Tuesday, September 30, at 3 PM London time.

Thanks to our sponsors Microsoft, Sheetcast, Order.co, and CFA Institute!

12 Excel Mistakes to Avoid ❌

Follow Financial Modeling World Cup for more content.

❗️Download a free high-resolution PDF on our website (link in the picture)!

Excel is an incredibly powerful tool, but even the most experienced users can fall into some common traps. Ensure your data and analysis remain accurate and efficient by avoiding these mistakes:

1️⃣ Not using the correct data format

2️⃣ Not using error-checking functions

3️⃣ Not using data validation

4️⃣ Not using conditional formatting

5️⃣ Not using keyboard shortcuts

6️⃣ Not using named ranges

7️⃣ Not regularly saving your work

8️⃣ Incorrect use of absolute and relative cell references

9️⃣ Not keeping data clean

🔟 Overcomplicating formulas

1️⃣1️⃣ Not leveraging advanced features

1️⃣2️⃣ Relying too heavily on manual data entry

By steering clear of these pitfalls, you can maximize your productivity and ensure your spreadsheets are error-free! 💼📊

12 Excel Functions That Replace Manual Work 🧮

Follow Josh Aharonoff, CPA for more content.

Excel is my go-to tool for almost EVERYTHING, but so many people waste hours doing things manually when Excel functions can do the heavy lifting!

These 12 functions will save you HOURS of manual work and make your spreadsheets way more efficient.

➡️ MANIPULATING TEXT

SUBSTITUTE - This function is gold for cleaning up messy data. Just tell Excel what text to find and what to replace it with. Perfect for fixing inconsistent naming or removing unwanted characters.

TRIM - Ever copied data from a website and got all those annoying extra spaces? TRIM strips them out instantly, leaving just single spaces between words. Your data will thank you.

CONCATENATE / TEXTJOIN - Need to combine first and last names? Or build a complete address from separate fields?

These functions join text strings together. TEXTJOIN is newer and gives you more control with delimiters.

➡️ LOGICAL FUNCTIONS

IF - This function is the decision-maker of Excel.

It checks if a condition is TRUE or FALSE, then returns different values accordingly. Great for categorizing data without manual sorting.

SUMIF - Want to add up values only when they meet specific criteria? SUMIF lets you sum numbers based on conditions. Perfect for adding up expenses by category or sales by region.

COUNTIF - Need to know how many cells match a criterion? COUNTIF gives you the count instantly. Perfect for tracking how many times a specific product was sold or counting days with over $1000 in sales.

➡️ TEXT MANIPULATION

TEXT - Converting numbers into specific text formats becomes simple with TEXT. Want to display $1000 as "$1,000.00" or format dates consistently? TEXT handles it all.

LEFT / RIGHT / MID - These functions extract specific characters from text. Need the first 3 digits of a product code? Or the last 4 digits of a phone number? These functions make it happen without manual copying.

FIND / SEARCH - Need to locate text within a string? FIND and SEARCH tell you the exact position. FIND is case-sensitive while SEARCH isn't. Great for parsing complex text strings.

➡️ DATE & FORMATTING

TODAY / NOW - Insert the current date or date/time with these functions. Perfect for tracking when records were created or updated without manual entry.

PROPER / UPPER / LOWER - Got inconsistent capitalization? These functions fix it instantly. PROPER capitalizes the first letter of each word, UPPER makes everything CAPS, and LOWER makes everything lowercase.

VALUE / NUMBERVALUE - Converting text that looks like numbers into actual numbers for calculations? These functions do it automatically, saving you from manual conversion.

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I use these functions DAILY to automate tasks that would otherwise take hours.

The time saved adds up fast.

Which Excel function saves you the most time?

Excel for Beginners vs Advanced — Must-Know Formulas 👇

Whether you're just getting started or already building advanced solutions, these formulas are game-changers:

📌 Beginner Formulas:
TRIM() – Clean up messy text
CONCAT() – Combine multiple cells
PROPER() – Capitalize each word
TEXT() – Format numbers/dates
LEFT() / RIGHT() – Extract characters
RAND() / RANDBETWEEN() – Generate random values
📌 Advanced Formulas:
FILTER() – Extract data by condition
UNIQUE() – Get distinct values
SEQUENCE() – Create number series
LET() – Name and reuse variables
LAMBDA() – Build custom functions
SORTBY() – Sort based on another range
TEXTJOIN() – Merge text with delimiter

Excel isn’t just for tables — it’s a tool for smart, scalable solutions.

Function in MS Excel

#
1. SUM
Adds all numbers in a range

=SUM(A1:A9)
Add values from cell A1 to A9

2. AVERAGE
Calculates the average of numbers in a range

=AVERAGE(B1:B9)
Average of B1 to B9

3. ROUND
Rounds a number to a specified number of digits

=ROUND(C1;2)
Round C1 to 2 decimal places

4. MIN
Identifies the lowest number in a range

=MIN(D1:D9)
Find the minimum in D1 to D9

5. MAX
Finds the highest number in a range

=MAX(D1:D9)
Get the maximum value in D1 to D9

6. COUNT
Counts the number of cells that contain numbers

=COUNT(F1:F9)
Count numeric cells in F1 to F9
*It only counts the numerical inputs

7. INDEX
Returns a value in table based on row & column number

=INDEX(K1:L10,2,3)
For the value in the 2nd row & 3rd column from the range K1:K10

8. MATCH
Searches for a value and returns its relative position

=MATCH(L1,M1:M9,0)
To find L1's position from the range M1:M9

9. VLOOKUP
Searches for a value in the first column of a range

=VLOOKUP (G1,H1:H10,2,FALSE)
To find G1 in H1:H10

10. HLOOKUP
Searches for a value in the top row of a table

*Number of rows that contains the data you want to retrieve

=HLOOKUP(I1,J1:S2,2,FALSE)
To find I1 in the top row J1:S2

11. XLOOKUP
Finds a value in one range & returns a result from another

=XLOOKUP(A7,A2:A4,B2:C4)
To find A7 in A2:A4 & return the corresponding value from B2:C4 if a match is found

12. COUNTIF/COUNTIFS
Counts cells that meet a condition

=COUNTIF (N1:N9;">5")
To count cells greater than 5

13. COUNTA
Counts non-empty cells

=COUNTA(O1:O9)
To count all non-empty cells in a range

14. SUMIF / SUMIFS
Counts non-empty cells

=SUMIF(P1:P9,">5")
Add cells that meet a condition

15. IF / NESTED IFS
Performs conditional tests

=IF(R1>5;"Yes";"No")
For simple conditions

Note:

IF: 1 variable
IFS: multiple variables

=IF(test, true, false)

=IF(test1, true, IF(test2, true, false)
Nested IF

=IFS(test1, true, test2, true, test3, true)

16. AVERAGEIF / AVERAGEIFS
Calculates the average for cells that meet criteria

=AVERAGEIF(Q1:Q9;">5")
Average of values over 5

17. Logical Operators (AND, OR)
Combines multiple conditions

=AND(S1>5;S2 Output is true

=OR(S1>5;S2 Output is true