Excel Commands

Excel commands are used to find the data with ease. Whether in engineering, medicine, chemistry, or any field, an Excel spreadsheet is the common tool for data maintenance. Some of them use it to maintain their database and others use this tool as a weapon to turn fortune for the respective companies they are working on. So, you, too, can turn things around for yourself by learning some of the most useful Excel commands.

In this article, let us learn how to use the Excel commands.

We have listed the top 10 commands used in Excel. Let us learn the Excel commands with the following examples in detail.

#1 - VLOOKUP Function To Fetch Data

The data in multiple sheets are common in many offices, but fetching the data from one worksheet to another and from one workbook to another is a challenge for beginners in Excel.

If you have struggled to fetch the data, VLOOKUP will help you bring the data. For example, assume you have two tables below.

In table 1, we have the subject list and their respective scores, and in table 2, we have some subject names, but we do not have scores for them. So, using these subject names in table 2, we need to fetch the data from table 1.

1. First, let us open the VLOOKUP function in the E2 cell.

   
   

2. Then, select the LOOKUP value as a D3 cell.

   
   

3. Next, we must select the table array as A3 to B8 and press the F4 key to make them an absolute reference.

   
   

4. Column Index Number is from the selected table array from which column you need to fetch the data. So, in this case, from the second column, we need to bring the data.

   
   

5. For the last argument range, LOOKUP, we must select "FALSE" as the option, or else we can enter "0."

   
   

6. Close the bracket and press the "Enter" key to get the score of "Sub 4." Also, copy the formula and paste it to the below cell.

   
   
   
   You have learned a formula to fetch values from different tables based on a LOOKUP value.

#2 - IF Condition To Do Logical Test

The Excel IF condition can be your friend in many situations because of its ability to conduct logical tests. For example, assume you want to test the scores of students and give the result. Below is the data for your reference.

In the above table, we have students’ scores from the examination. So we need to arrive at the result as either "PASS" or "FAIL" based on these scores. So to reach these results criteria, if the score is >=35, the result should be "PASS" or else "FAIL."

• We must first open the IF condition in the C2 cell.

• The first argument is logical to test. So, in this example, we need to do the logical test of whether the score is >=35, select the score cell B2, and apply the logical test as B2 >= 35.

• The next argument is value if true. If the applied logical test is "TRUE," what is the value we need? If the logical test is "TRUE," we need the result as "Pass."

• So, the final part is value if false.If the applied logical test is "FALSE," then we need the result as "Fail."

• Now, close the bracket, and we also need to fill the formula to the remaining cells.

So, students A and F scored less than 35. Therefore, the result has arrived as "FAIL."

#3 - CONCATENATE Function To Combine Two Or More Values

If we want to combine two or more values from different cells, we can use the CONCATENATE function in Excel. For example, below is the "First Name" list and "Last Name."

• First, we need to open the CONCATENATE function in the C2 cell.

• For the first argument, "Text 1," select the "First Name" cell, and for "Text 2," choose the "Last Name" cell.

• Then, we need to apply the formula to all the cells to get the full name.

• If you want space as the "First Name" and "Last Name" separator, we can use the space character in double-quotes after selecting the first name.

#4 - Count Only Numerical Values

If we want to count only numerical values from the range, you need to use the COUNT function in Excel. Take a look at the below data.

From the above table, we need to count only numerical values. For this, we can use the COUNT function.

The result of the COUNT function is 6. The total count of cells is 8, but we have got the count of numerical values as 6. In cells A4 and A6, we have text values, but in cell A8, we have date values. The Excel COUNT function treats the date also as a numerical value only.

Note: "Date" and "Time" values are numerical values if the formatting is correct. Otherwise, they will be treated as "text" values.

#5 - Count All Values

If we want to count all the values in the range, we need to use the COUNTA function. We will apply the COUNTA function for the same data and see the count.

We got the count as 8 because the COUNTA function has counted all the cell values.

Note: Both the COUNT and COUNTA functions ignore blank cells.

#6 - Count Based On Condition

If we want to count based on condition, we can use the COUNTIF function. For example, look at the below data.

From this "City List," if we want to count how many times “Bangalore” city is mentioned, we must open the COUNTIF function.

The first argument is "RANGE," so we need to select the range of values from A2 to B9.

The second argument is "Criteria," i.e., what you want to count, i.e., “Bangalore.

Bangalore has appeared three times in the range A2 to B9, so the COUNTIF function returns 3 as the count.

#7 - Count Number Of Characters In The Cell

If we want to count the number of characters in the cell, we need to use the LEN function in Excel. The LEN function returns the number of characters from the selected cell.

“Excel” has 5 characters, so the result is 5.

Note: Space is also considered as one character.

#8 - Convert Negative Value To Positive Value

If we have negative values and want to convert them to positive ones, the ABS function can do it for us.

#9 - Convert All Characters To UPPERCASE Values

If we want to convert all the text values to UPPERCASE, we can use the UPPER formula in Excel.

And if we want to convert all the text values to LOWERCASE values, then use the LOWER formula.

#10 - Find Maximum And Minimum Values

If we want to find maximum and minimum values, we may use MAX and MIN functions in Excel.

• These are some of the important formulas/commands in excel which are used regularly.
• We can also use these functions at the advanced level.
• There are more advanced formulas in Excel which come under advanced level courses.
• Space is considered one character.