Basic Excel Functions
Basic Excel Functions
Fundamentals of MS Excel
Introduction to Excel
Functions and Formulas ➢Excel is a spreadsheet software application developed by Microsoft. It is used to store,
organize, analyze, and visualize data in a tabular format made up of rows and columns. In
from Basic To Advanced Excel, each file is called a workbook, and each workbook can contain multiple worksheets.
Each worksheet is a grid where data is entered into cells.
➢Analyzing data using tools like sorting, filtering, and pivot tables
✓ Performs calculations
✓ Example: =A1+B1
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➢ Finding prices by product ID ✓ List all product IDs in the first column (A).
➢ Fetching employee details by ID ✓ Product Name in second column (B).
➢ Linking data between sheets or workbooks
✓ Ensure the corresponding prices are in a column to the right of the IDs and Product Name,
here we have mentioned that in column (C).
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Formatting, and ❑
❑
➢
Use autofill for sequences
Avoid duplicate or incorrect data
A Data Entry Form in Excel is a built-in tool that helps users easily add, edit, search,
Data Validation
and manage records in a table. Instead of entering data directly into rows and columns,
the form provides labeled fields for each column, making data entry faster, more
organized, and less error-prone. It is especially useful for managing structured data
such as student records, employee details, or inventory lists.
1. Adding the Form Tool to Excel
➢ The Form tool is hidden by default. Add it to the Quick Access Toolbar:
Step 1: Right-click on the Quick Access Toolbar
➢ To add the Data Entry Form option on the Quick Access Toolbar. First, right-click on
any of the existing icons in the Quick Access Toolbar. Then, click on Customize Quick
Access Toolbar.
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Conditional Formatting
➢ Highlight important values: Highlight Cells Based on Values
➢ The Highlight Cell Rules feature allows you to format cells based on conditions like greater than,
less than, between, or containing specific text. Follow the below steps to highlight cell rules in
excel:
Step 1: Select the Column
➢ Select the Column in which you want to apply conditional formatting. Here we have selected
Column C(Salary).
Step 2: Choose Conditional Formatting
➢ Go to Home Tab, Click on Conditional Formatting, Select Highlight Cells Rules and Click on Greater
Than.
➢ Use color scales and data bars
➢ Apply rules based on conditions
➢ We use conditional formatting in Excel to highlight important data based on specific rules. This
feature applies colors or styles to cells, helping us spot trends or key values in our spreadsheets
effortlessly. We can enhance our data presentation with these practical methods.
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Step 7: Output.
Once we click on the Data Table Checkbox Excel will automatically add
a data table to our chart. VLOOKUP
Searches vertically in a table
Syntax: =VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index, FALSE)
Used for retrieving financial data
HLOOKUP IF Statements
Searches horizontally in a table Performs logical tests
Syntax: =HLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, row_index, FALSE) Syntax: =IF(condition, value_if_true, value_if_false)
Useful for time-series data Example: Classifying profit/loss
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➢ Financial categorization
➢ Decision support
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Shortcut Keys:
a) Drag and Drop Fields:
Drag column headers from the Field List into one of the four areas: Shortcut Keys:
Rows: Sets rows for the table.
b) Customize Calculations:
Columns: Creates columns for our data.
➢ Right-click on a value in the Values area and choose Value Field Settings. Then, Select the
Values: Adds numerical data to be calculated like sum, count, etc. desired calculation like Sum, Average, Count, etc.
Filters: Adds filters to refine our analysis. Step 5: Formatting and Customizing the Pivot Table
➢ Apply a PivotTable Style: Select the Pivot Table and go to Design > PivotTable Styles to apply
a pre-designed format.
➢ Sort and Filter: Use the dropdown arrows on row or column headers to sort and filter data.
➢ Group Data: Right-click on a row or column item and select Group to organize data by date,
number ranges etc.
➢ Add Slicers (Optional): Go to Insert > Slicer to create interactive filters for our Pivot Table.
Shortcut Key:
➢ Windows: Press Alt → J → T → F (sequentially) to open the Field List pane; Mac: no default
shortcut available—use PivotTable Analyze → Field List.
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Excel Finance Formulas: Functions for Financial Analysts Functions for Financial Analysts
➢ Excel is the primary tool finance professionals use to value companies, model ➢ Excel finance formulas are the backbone of valuation, investment
cash flows, build loan schedules, and analyze investments. This guide walks
analysis, and financial modeling.
through the most important Excel finance formulas like XNPV, XIRR, PMT,
EFFECT, and DB so you can apply them directly in real-world financial models. ➢ This guide walks through the Excel functions every finance
➢ Each function includes a plain-English explanation, syntax, and a simple finance professional should know with real finance examples.
example (DCF valuation, loan amortization, bond pricing, or depreciation) to
➢ Each function is shown with its syntax and a practical use case, from
help you see where it fits in your day-to-day work.
DCF valuations and loan schedules to bond yields and stock beta, so
you can apply these formulas directly in your own models.
➢ The number one formula in Excel for finance professionals has to be XNPV.
➢ Any valuation analysis aimed at determining what a company is worth will need to
determine the Net Present Value (NPV) of a series of cash flows.
➢ Unlike the regular NPV function in Excel, XNPV takes into account specific dates
for cash flows and is, therefore, much more useful and precise.
➢ XIRR should always be used over the regular IRR formula, as the
time periods between cash flows are very unlikely to all be exactly
the same.
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Here is another variation of the internal rate of return that’s very important for
finance professionals. The M stands for Modified, and this formula is particularly
useful if the cash from one investment is invested in a different investment.
For example, imagine if the cash flow from a private business is then invested in
government bonds.
If the business is high returning and produces an 18% IRR, but the cash along the
way is reinvested in a bond at only 8%, the combined IRR will be much lower than
18% (it will be 15%, as shown in the example below).
This is a very common function in Excel for finance professionals working with real estate
financial modeling. The formula is most easily thought of as a mortgage payment calculator.
Given an interest rate, and a number of time periods (years, months, etc.) and the total value of
the loan (e.g., mortgage) you can easily figure out how much the payments will be.
Remember this produces the total payment, which includes both principal and interest.
See an example below that shows what the annual and monthly payments will be for a $1
IPMT calculates the interest portion of a fixed debt payment. This Excel function
works very well in conjunction with the PMT function above. By separating out
the interest payments in each period, we can then arrive at the principal payments
in each period by taking the difference of PMT and IMPT.
In the example below, we can see that the interest payment in year 5 is $41,844 on
a 30-year loan with a 4.5% interest rate.
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This finance function in Excel returns the effective annual interest rate for non-annual
compounding. This is a very important function in Excel for finance professionals,
particularly those involved with lending or borrowing.
For example, a 20.0% annual interest rate (APR) that compounds monthly is actually a
21.94% effective annual interest rate.
The RATE function can be used to calculate the Yield to Maturity for a
security. This is useful when determining the average annual rate of
return that is earned from buying a bond.
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This function is great if you want to know how much money you will have in the
future, given a starting balance, regular payments, and a compounding interest rate.
In the example below, you will see what happens to $25 million if it’s grown at 4.5%
annually for 30 years and receives $1 million per year in additions to the total
balance.
Finance professionals often have to calculate the Beta (volatility) of a stock when
performing valuation analysis and financial modeling.
While you can grab a stock’s Beta from Bloomberg or from CapIQ, it’s often the best
practice to build the analysis yourself in Excel.
The slope function in Excel allows you to easily calculate Beta, given the weekly
returns for a stock and the index you wish to compare it to.
The example below shows exactly how to calculate beta in Excel for financial
analysis.
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To create a Pick List, first place your cursor in any cell, such as cell G1, The Data Validation dialog box will appear, In the Settings tab, select
and then click the Data Validation button on the Data Ribbon. the List option in the Validation Criteria area.
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Now, this is how your chart should look. Select Format Axis when you right-click on the Vertical Axis:
Step 4: Create a Named Range for the Chart. Step 4: Create a Named Range for the Chart.
The dialog box below will appear, then click on the New option
Navigate to the Formulas Ribbon and select the Name Manager
option:
Step 4: Create a Named Range for the Chart. Step 4: Create a Named Range for the Chart.
• In the name option, enter ChartColumnSeries as the file name and input the following • Note: The offset formula is described as follows:
formula in the Refers to option: • =Offset(beginning point, shift starting point down how many rows, move the
• =OFFSET(Sheet1!$A$3,0,MATCH(Sheet1!$G$1,Sheet1!$B$2:$D$2,0),9,1) starting point how many rows right by matching the value in cell G1 to the range of
B2:D2, how many rows in the range, how many columns in the range )
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Step 4: Create a Named Range for the Chart. Step 4: Create a Named Range for the Chart.
Step 4: Create a Named Range for the Chart. Power Pivot for Excel
Then, in the Series Values field, enter the name of the named range you defined in ➢ Power Pivot extends Excel’s capabilities with a local instance of Microsoft Analysis
Services Tabular, allowing us to:
the earlier step. ➢ Build data models from multiple sources.
➢ Perform high-speed calculations using Data Analysis Expressions (DAX).
➢ Create advanced PivotTables and PivotCharts for analysis.
➢ It supports millions of rows, table relationships, and in-memory processing, making it ideal
for large-scale data tasks.
➢ Applications of Power Pivot?
➢ Large-Scale Analysis: Handles millions of rows efficiently.
➢ Data Integration: Combines data from sources like Excel, SQL Server, or CSV files.
➢ Advanced Calculations: Uses DAX for custom measures and KPIs.
➢ Dynamic Reporting: Creates interactive PivotTables and PivotCharts from related tables.
1. Data Analysis Expressions (DAX): Creates tabular data models with relationships, eliminating the need for VLOOKUP.
A formula language for creating custom calculations (e.g., aggregations, time 5. Diagram View:
intelligence). Visualizes table relationships, exportable as an image (File > Save View as Picture).
Example: Calculate year-over-year sales growth across tables. 6. Power PivotTables and PivotCharts:
2. In-Memory Processing: Builds reports from multiple related tables for comprehensive analysis.
Uses the xVelocity engine for fast data loading and calculations, even with large 7. Data Preview and Editing:
datasets.
Allows previewing and editing up to five rows per table in the Power Pivot window.
3. Multi-Source Data Import:
8. Enterprise Security:
Integrates data from Excel, SQL Server, Oracle, CSV files, and more.
Offers IT controls for managing shared workbooks in collaborative environments.
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Download the Power Pivot add-in from the Microsoft Download Center. Click the FILE tab on the Ribbon.
Step 2: Click on Options
After installation, the Power Pivot tab will appear in Excel.
Click Options in the dropdown list. The Excel Options dialog box appears.
Step 3: Select Add-ins
Select COM Add-ins from the drop down and Click OK.
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