Formulas are powerful tools for performing calculations and analyzing data in Excel. In this beginner’s guide, you’ll learn how to use formulas and explore some popular built-in functions.

Excel’s XLOOKUP() function is available in Microsoft 365 and Excel 2021, and Excel for the web. For your convenience, you can download the demonstration .xlsx files .

A formula is an equation that can use a function to perform an operation on cells or values. Examples of formulas using the above functions include: SUM(A1,B1) : Adds the values in cells A1 and B1.

Most Microsoft Excel functions are autonomous—one result value for each function or formula. For example, you might use SUM() to return the sum of all the values in a single column.