"How To Excel" Mini-Tutorials by TheExcelAddict.com "Helping Average Spreadsheet Users Become Local Spreadsheet Experts" Learn To Function Smarter There are formulas and then there are functions. Excel's help menu defines functions as "... predefined formulas that perform calculations by using specific values, called arguments, in a particular order, or structure." All of us are familiar with the Excel's Sum function because it is the one most commonly used. What most people don't realize is that there are hundreds and hundreds of other very useful functions right at your finger tips - another of Excel's little known secrets. You probably won't have much use for many of these functions, but I'm sure you will find many to be very helpful in your daily use of Excel. Take some time to explore Excel's vast collection of useful and time-saving functions. Click on the Insert menu and select Function. The functions are grouped by Category on the left. Click a category and the related functions will be displayed on the right. As you click on the function name on the right, a brief description of the function will be displayed below. To try out the function, click the OK button. As you click in each of the 'argument' fields, a brief explanation of that argument will be shown. Some of the functions that I use regularly, are DAY, MONTH, YEAR, ABS, ROUND, SUBTOTAL, SUMIF, SUMPRODUCT, COUNT, COUNTIF, VLOOKUP, INDEX, MATCH, OFFSET, LEFT, MID, RIGHT, LOWER, UPPER, PROPER, TEXT, TRIM. Why not print (CTRL+P) this tip and share it with your friends and associates? Get more time-saving tips just like this one delivered to you by email every week in my FREE newsletter "Spreadsheet Tips From An Excel Addict". Subscribe at the www.TheExcelAddict.com/Newsletter.htm. You'll be amazed how much time you'll save just by learning a few of these tips. Copyright © 2003 All Rights Reserved by Francis Hayes (The Excel Addict)