What are the most important Excel formulas to learn first?

Start with SUM, AVERAGE, IF, XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, COUNTIF, TEXTJOIN, and IFERROR.

What is the best lookup formula in Excel?

XLOOKUP is the best modern lookup formula for most users because it is easier to read and more flexible than VLOOKUP.

Learn formulas by job task: totals, counts, lookups, decisions, dates, text cleanup, and error handling.

Professional formulas are readable, auditable, use stable references, avoid unnecessary hardcoding, and handle expected edge cases clearly.

Formulas - 2026-05-12

A practical Excel formulas cheat sheet covering SUM, IF, XLOOKUP, COUNTIF, SUMIFS, TEXTJOIN, dates, errors, and lookup formulas.

This cheat sheet focuses on formulas people use every day in real spreadsheets: totals, lookups, conditions, dates, text cleanup, and error handling. Start with these core formulas: SUM for totals AVERAGE for averages IF for decisions XLOOKUP for lookups SUMIFS for conditional totals COUNTIF for counting matches TEXTJOIN for combining text IFERROR for cleaner outputs

\\\ =SUM(B2:B100) =AVERAGE(B2:B100) =COUNT(B2:B100) =COUNTA(A2:A100) \\\ Use COUNT for numbers and COUNTA when you need to count non-empty cells.

\\\ =IF(C2>=70,"Pass","Fail") =SUMIFS(D:D,A:A,"East",B:B,"Open") =COUNTIF(A:A,"Complete") \\\ These formulas turn raw data into answers.

\\\ =XLOOKUP(E2,A:A,C:C,"Not found") =INDEX(C:C,MATCH(E2,A:A,0)) \\\ Use XLOOKUP for most modern workbooks. Use INDEX MATCH when maintaining older models or building two-way lookups.

How to Use the IF Function in Excel XLOOKUP tutorial SUMIFS examples Excel Formulas for Beginners

Need Use Total numbers SUM Conditional total SUMIFS Count matching rows COUNTIFS Lookup one result XLOOKUP Make a decision IF Combine labels TEXTJOIN Clean spaces TRIM Handle expected errors IFERROR

Write formulas so another person can audit them. Use Excel Tables, helper columns, and named inputs for important assumptions. Avoid hardcoding rates, dates, or thresholds inside formulas when those values may change. Example of a maintainable formula: \\\ =SUMIFS(Sales[Amount],Sales[Region],$F$2,Sales[Month],G$1) \\\ This is easier to review than a formula using unclear full-column references and hardcoded criteria.

Start with IF, SUMIFS, COUNTIFS, and XLOOKUP. Then move into date formulas, text cleanup, and dynamic arrays.

What are the most important Excel formulas to learn first? Start with SUM, AVERAGE, IF, XLOOKUP, SUMIFS, COUNTIF, TEXTJOIN, and IFERROR.
What is the best lookup formula in Excel? XLOOKUP is the best modern lookup formula for most users because it is easier to read and more flexible than VLOOKUP.
How should I learn Excel formulas efficiently? Learn formulas by job task: totals, counts, lookups, decisions, dates, text cleanup, and error handling.
What makes an Excel formula professional? Professional formulas are readable, auditable, use stable references, avoid unnecessary hardcoding, and handle expected edge cases clearly.