Excel formula guide
Excel formulas, organized by the job you need to finish.
Start with the business rule, then choose the formula family: IF for decisions, SUMIFS or COUNTIFS for conditional summaries, XLOOKUP for matching records, and date functions for timelines. Test blanks, missing matches, and boundary values before filling a formula through the workbook.
Start with
The expected result, source columns, destination range, and exceptions.
Use for
Operating reports, budgets, trackers, lookups, schedules, and review flags.
Review
References, data types, missing-value behavior, and first/middle/last rows.
01
Decisions and conditional totals
Use these when a row needs a status or a summary needs to include only records that meet a rule.
- GuideExcel IF Statement with Multiple Conditions: AND, OR, IFS, and SWITCHWrite Excel IF formulas with multiple conditions using AND, OR, nested IF, IFS, and SWITCH. Includes practical budget and review examples.
- GuideHow to Use IFS in ExcelIFS checks multiple conditions in order and returns the first matching result. Here's the syntax, a realistic status example, and the mistakes that cause the wrong label to appear.
- GuideHow to Use SUMIFS in ExcelSUMIFS adds values that meet multiple conditions. Here's the syntax, exact examples for text, dates, and thresholds, plus the mistakes that cause wrong totals.
- GuideHow to Use COUNTIFS in ExcelCOUNTIFS counts rows that match multiple conditions. Here's the syntax, examples for text, dates, blanks, and thresholds, plus the mistakes that break the count.
- GuideWhy SUMIF Is Not Working in ExcelSUMIF may fail when ranges do not match, criteria are typed incorrectly, or source data is dirty. Learn how to debug it.
02
Lookups and matching records
Use a stable ID, request exact matching deliberately, and decide what a genuinely missing record should show.
- GuideHow to Use XLOOKUP in ExcelXLOOKUP is the modern replacement for VLOOKUP — it can look in any direction, handles missing values cleanly, and doesn't break when columns shift. Here's how it works.
- GuideHow to Use VLOOKUP in ExcelVLOOKUP finds a value in a table by searching the first column and returning a result from another column. Here's exactly how it works — and when to use XLOOKUP instead.
- GuideINDEX MATCH vs XLOOKUP: Which Should You Use?INDEX MATCH is flexible and widely understood. XLOOKUP is cleaner and easier to maintain. Here's how to choose between them for real spreadsheet work.
- GuideHow to Fix the VLOOKUP #N/A Error in ExcelFix VLOOKUP #N/A errors caused by missing keys, spaces, type mismatches, exact-match settings, or an incorrect lookup range.
- GuideWhy VLOOKUP Returns the Wrong Value in ExcelVLOOKUP can return the wrong value when match mode, column indexes, duplicates, or dirty lookup keys are off. Learn the fixes.
03
Dates and formula repair
Treat dates as values and visible errors as evidence. Fix the cause before replacing an error with a blank.
- GuideExcel Date Formulas: TODAY, DATE, DATEDIF, EDATE, and MoreThe essential Excel date functions: get today's date, calculate days between dates, find end-of-month dates, add months, and count working days — with examples for each.
- GuideHow to Use IFERROR in ExcelIFERROR replaces ugly spreadsheet errors with a cleaner fallback. Here's the syntax, the most common use cases, and when to avoid hiding real problems.
- GuideHow to Fix the #REF! Error in ExcelThe #REF! error in Excel means a formula points to a missing cell or range. Learn the common causes and the cleanest ways to repair it.
- GuideHow to Fix the #SPILL! Error in ExcelThe #SPILL! error in Excel means a dynamic array formula cannot expand. Learn how to clear the spill range and fix the formula.
- GuideHow to Fix the #VALUE! Error in ExcelThe #VALUE! error in Excel usually means a formula received the wrong data type. Learn how to find the cause and repair the formula.
Use it
Start with a real spreadsheet.
These existing templates give the formulas or AI workflow named fields, sample rows, and a visible result to review.
- TemplateSmall Business BudgetPlan revenue, direct costs, overhead, and EBITDA in one compact operating budget. Keep H1 totals, margin, and owner notes visible without building a giant finance model.
- TemplateExpense TrackerLog every expense, track receipts, and generate category summaries. Free template for personal or business use.
- TemplateProject TrackerTrack tasks, owners, priorities, due dates, and blockers in one delivery board. Group work by stream, review progress, and keep next steps visible.
- TemplateSales PipelineTrack deals by stage, owner, value, and next move in one lightweight pipeline sheet. Keep close dates, weighted forecast, and rep follow-ups visible without needing a full CRM.
Do this with AI
Describe the formula rule, then inspect it in the spreadsheet.
Tell Griddy the source columns, target range, expected result, and edge cases. It can write supported formulas in the browser, Excel, or Google Sheets so you can review the actual references.
Compare
Choose the right product path.
- ComparisonGriddy vs Microsoft Copilot for ExcelCompare spreadsheet workflows, supported work, access, and product fit before choosing an Excel assistant.
- ComparisonGriddy vs ChatGPTCompare Griddy and ChatGPT for spreadsheet work across the browser, Excel, Google Sheets, workbook editing, analysis, and everyday ease of use.
- ComparisonGriddy vs ClaudeCompare Griddy and Claude for spreadsheet work by platform coverage, Excel workflow, workbook editing, file creation, and product fit.