This document provides an overview of basic Microsoft Excel functions and features. It explains that Excel is commonly used in businesses for tasks like accounting, calculations, and reporting. The key components of an Excel spreadsheet include cells organized into rows and columns. The document then describes important basic functions for counting, summing, logic, lookups, statistics, and pivot tables. Examples are provided for how to use count, sum, if, lookup, average, and other functions. Pivot tables are highlighted as one of Excel's most powerful features for analyzing large datasets.

1. BASIC OF
MICROSOFT
EXCEL

2. Contents:
• Why is Microsoft Excel needed?
• What is in an Excel spreadsheet?
• What are the basic functions for Excel?
o What is it for?
o What is the format?
• Example

3. Why is MS Excel needed?
• Commonly used in most companies
• Mostly required in every job
• Makes calculations of complex formulas easy
• Works great as a basic reporting tool (AP, AR,
Inventory, etc.)

4. What is in an Excel
spreadsheet?

5. Basic Functions in Excel:
• Count functions
• Sum functions
• Logical functions
• Lookup Functions
• Statistical functions
• PIVOT Table

6. Count functions:
• Count:
o To count the cells that contain numbers
o Format: =Count(range)
• Countif:
o To count cells based on ONLY ONE criteria
o Format: =Countif(range, criteria)
• Countifs:
o To count the cells based on MULTIPLE criteria
o Format: =Countifs(range, criteria 1, criteria 2, etc.)

7. Sum functions:
• Sum:
o To calculate the total of a range of cells
o Format: =Sum(range)
• Sumif:
o To calculate the total of a range of cells based on ONLY ONE
criteria
o Format: =Sumif(range, criteria)
• Sumifs:
o To calculate the total of a range of cells based on MULTIPLE
criteria
o Format: =Sumifs(range, criteria 1, criteria 2, etc.)

8. Logical functions:
• IF:
o To check if the condition is met, and return one value if TRUE and another
value if FALSE
o Format: =IF(logical test, value if true, value if false)
o NOTES: If function can be nested if there are multiple functions needed
to be satisfied.
• AND:
o Returns TRUE if ALL CONDITIONS are true and returns FALSE if ANY of
the conditions are false
o Format: =IF(AND(condition 1, condition 2, etc.), value if true, value if
false)
• OR:
o Returns TRUE if ANY OF THE CONDITIONS are TRUE and returns FALSE
if ALL CONDITIONS are false
o Format: =IF(OR(condition 1, condition 2, etc.), value if true, value if
false)

9. Lookup functions:
• VLookup:
o Vertical lookup – looks for a value in the leftmost column
of a table, then returns a value in the same row from
another column you specify
o Format: =VLOOKUP(value looked up, table, column to
lookup, range lookup)
• HLookup:
o Horizontal lookup – the same as VLookup
o Format: =HLOOKUP(value looked up, table, row to
lookup, range lookup)

10. Statistical functions:
• Average:
o To calculate the average of a range of cells
o Format: =AVERAGE(range)
• Averageif:
o To calculate the average of a range of cells based on ONE criteria
o Format: =AVERAGEIF(range, criteria)
• Median:
o To calculate the median of a range of cells based on MULTIPLE
criteria
o Format: =MEDIAN(range)

11. Statistical functions:
• Mode:
o To calculate the mode of a range of cells
o Format: =MODE(range)
• Standard Deviation:
o To calculate the standard deviation of a range of cells
o Format: =STEDV(range, criteria)
• Min/Max:
o To calculate the min/max of a range of cells
o Format for Minimum: =MIN(range)
o Format for Maximum: =MAX(range)

12. PIVOT Table:
• One of Excel’s most powerful features
• Allows users to extract a significance from
a large, detailed data set.
• Includes:
o Insert a PIVOT table
o Drag fields
o Sort
o Change summary calculation

13. Insert a PIVOT table:
1. Click on any single cell within the data set
2. On the Insert tab, click PivotTable
3. When it appears
the dialog, choose
New Worksheet
then click OK.

14. Drag Fields:
The PivotTable field list appears. To
get the amount asked, drag the
fields to the different areas

15. Drag Fields:
A completed PIVOT table will
appear

16. Sort:
To Sort the values of the PIVOT table:
1. Click any cell in the column that needs to be sorted
2. On the Option tab, click Sort (can be AZ or ZA depending on the
question

17. Change of summary
calculation:
To change the type of calculation of
the PIVOT table:
1. Click any cell inside the
calculation column
2. Right click and click on Value
Field Settings.

18. Change of summary
calculation:
3. Choose the type of
calculation
4. Click OK