Excel offers various functions that can help you make sense of data in various forms. However, when working with complex datasets, basic functions may not be enough to produce precise calculations. That's where advanced Excel functions come in handy.

We'll examine some of these functions and discuss how you can use them for data analysis and calculations in Excel.

1. CONVERT

The CONVERT function converts a value from one unit of measurement to another. The syntax of the CONVERT function in Excel is:

 =CONVERT(number, from_unit, to_unit)

Where:

  • number: the value that you want to convert.
  • from_unit: the unit of measurement that the value is currently in.
  • to_unit: the unit of measurement that you want to convert the value to.

For example, the formula below converts the value in cell A2 from meters to feet.

 =CONVERT(A2,"m", "ft")
Converting from "m" to "ft" with the CONVERT function
Screenshot by Bolanle Abiodun - No attribution required

2. DELTA

The DELTA function tests whether two numbers are equal. It returns a value of 1 if the two numbers are equal, and 0 if they aren't equal. The syntax is:

 =DELTA(number1, number2)

Where "number1" and "number2" are the values that you want to compare. For example, the formula below compares cells A4 and B4. It returns 0 since both numbers aren't equal.

 =DELTA(A4, B4)
Testing the equality of two numbers with DELTA
Screenshot by Bolanle Abiodun - No attribution required

3. MODE.SNGL

The MODE.SNGL function in Excel returns the most frequently occurring or repetitive value (mode) in a set of numbers. It is used to find the single most common value in a range of values. The syntax for the MODE.SNGL function is:

 =MODE.SNGL(number1, [number2], ...)

For example, the formula below finds and returns the number that occurs the most in cells B1 through B6.

 =MODE.SNGL(B1:B6)
Getting the mode of a set of numbers using the MODE.SNGL function
Screenshot by Bolanle Abiodun - No attribution required

If multiple values occur with the same frequency, MODE.SNGL will return the smallest of those values. You can use the MODE.MULT function if you want to find all the values that appear the most.

4. FLOOR

The FLOOR function in Excel rounds a number down to the nearest multiple of a specified significance. The syntax for the FLOOR function is:

 =FLOOR(number, significance)

Where:

  • number: The number you want to round down.
  • significance: The multiple to which you want to round the number.

For example, the following formula rounds 47 down to the nearest 10 and returns 40.

 =FLOOR(47, 10)
Rounding down a number to the nearest 10 using the FLOOR function
Screenshot by Bolanle Abiodun - No attribution required

If the specified number is already a multiple of the given significance, the function returns the specified number itself. Also, the FLOOR function always rounds down, so it won't return a value greater than the specified number. For example, the formula below will return 50 as it is already a multiple of 10.

 =FLOOR(50, 10)
Rounding a multiple number using the FLOOR function
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5. CEILING

This is the opposite of the FLOOR function. CEILING rounds a number up to the nearest multiple of a specified significance. The syntax for the CEILING function is:

 =CEILING(number, multiple)

For example, the following formula rounds 456 up to the nearest 100.

 =CEILING(456, 100)
Rounding up a number to the nearest 100 with CEILING
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The CEILING function always rounds up, so it will not return a value less than the specified number.

6. GESTEP

The GESTEP function tests whether a number is greater than or equal to a specified step value. The syntax for the GESTEP function is:

 =GESTEP(number, step)

Where "number" is the number you want to test and "step" is the value to which you want to compare the number.

GESTEP returns 1 if the number is greater than or equal to the step value, and it returns 0 if the number is less than the step value. For example, the formula below tests the value in cell B6 against step 55.

 =GESTEP(B6, 55)
Comparing a number against a step value with the GESTEP function
Screenshot by Bolanle Abiodun - No attribution required

You can use the GESTEP function with other functions, such as the SUMIFS function, to get the number of values that are greater than or equal to a specified step value.

7. TRUNC

This function truncates a number to a specified number of decimal places or an integer by removing the decimal part of the number. Here's the syntax for the TRUNC function:

 =TRUNC(number, [num_digits])

Where:

  • number: the number you want to truncate.
  • num_digits: the number of decimal places to which the number should be truncated. If you omit this, the number will be truncated to zero decimal places.

For example, the formula below truncates 3.14158 in cell A2 to two decimal places.

 =TRUNC(A2, 2)
Truncating a number to 2 decimal places using the TRUNC function
Screenshot by Bolanle Abiodun - No attribution required

8. ABS

ABS returns the absolute value of a number, which is the number without its sign. It converts any negative value to a positive value while leaving positive values unchanged. To apply the ABS formula to multiple cells, you can fill it in the cells using these Excel spreadsheet autofill tricks.

 =ABS(number)

The formula below returns the absolute value of the number in cell A2.

 =ABS(A2)
Getting the absolute value of numbers using the ABS function
Screenshot by Bolanle Abiodun - No attribution required

9. AVERAGEIF

The AVERAGEIF function in Excel calculates the average of a range of numbers, based on a condition or criteria. The syntax for the AVERAGEIF function is as follows:

 =AVERAGEIF(range, criteria)

Where:

  • range is the range of cells that you want to evaluate.
  • criteria is the condition or criteria that you want to use for averaging.

For example, the formula below finds the average of the numbers in A1 to A6, but only for cells that contain a value greater than or equal to 65.

 =AVERAGEIF(A1:A6, ">=65")
Calculating the average of a set of numbers with AVERAGEIF
Screenshot by Bolanle Abiodun - No attribution required

10. SUMPRODUCT

SUMPRODUCT multiplies the corresponding elements in arrays or ranges of cells and then returns the sum of the products. Here's the syntax for the SUMPRODUCT function:

 =SUMPRODUCT(array1, [array2], ...)

Where:

  • array1 is the first array or range of cells that you want to multiply and sum.
  • array2 is an optional second array or range of cells that you want to multiply and sum.

For example, the following formula multiplies the number of units sold in cells B2 to B6 with the corresponding price per unit in cells C2 to C6, then adds the products to return the total amount generated from sales.

 =SUMPRODUCT(B2:B6, C2:C6)
Getting the sum of products using the SUMPRODUCT function
Screenshot by Bolanle Abiodun - No attribution required

You can include up to 255 arrays or ranges in the SUMPRODUCT function.

Make Calculations a Breeze in Excel With Advanced Functions

Excel is a powerful spreadsheet tool that offers several functions for data organization and analysis. While basic and essential functions like SUM and AVERAGE are useful, advanced functions can help simplify complex calculations.

Whether you're an analyst, a business professional, or a student, mastering these functions will help you work more efficiently and make better-informed decisions based on accurate data.