Excel formulas list 2026 is here with the functions that most students, office workers and data entry staff in India use every single day. SUM, AVERAGE, IF and COUNT still do most of the heavy lifting in a spreadsheet.
Microsoft keeps adding new functions to Excel, so the list below covers the old basics along with the ones that now show up in computer course exams and job tests.
MS Excel Formulas List 2026
Excel works with two things, formulas and functions. A formula is something you type yourself, like =A1+A2+A3, which adds the values in those three cells. A function is a ready-made calculation that Excel already knows, like =SUM(A1:A3), which does the same addition in one short step.
Functions save time and cut down mistakes. Once you understand the pattern, you can build long calculations without typing each cell reference by hand.
Common Excel Formulas
These are the formulas that appear in almost every beginner test, RSCIT exam and office interview. Each one has a fixed syntax, and the arguments inside the brackets tell Excel which cells to look at.
- SUM adds all the numbers in a range, like =SUM(B2:B10) for a column of monthly expenses.
- AVERAGE gives the mean of the selected numbers, which is handy for marks or sales figures.
- COUNT counts only the cells that hold numbers, while COUNTA counts every non-empty cell.
- COUNTBLANK counts the empty cells in a range, so missing entries are easy to spot.
- MIN and MAX return the smallest and largest value in a range.
- IF checks a condition and returns one value when it is true and another when it is false.
- LEN counts the characters in a cell, and TRIM removes extra spaces.
- CONCATENATE joins text from two or more cells into one.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| List Name | MS Excel Formulas List 2026 |
| Covered In | Basic and advanced Excel functions with examples |
| Useful For | Students, data entry operators, office staff, RSCIT and computer course learners |
| Official Website | microsoft.com and support.microsoft.com |
| Last Updated | September 2026 |
Excel Formulas with Examples
The table below shows the syntax of each formula next to a working example. Type the formula in any empty cell and press Enter to see the result.
| SUM Excel Formula: | SUM(number1, [number2]) |
| AVERAGE Excel Formula: | AVERAGE(number1, [number2], ...) |
| MAX & MIN Excel Formula: | =MAX(A2:A5) =MIN(A2:A5) |
| COUNT & COUNTA Excel Formula: | COUNT(value1, [value2], ...) |
| IF Excel Formula: | IF(logicaltest, [valueiftrue], [valueif_false]) |
| TRIM Excel Formula: | =TRIM(A1) |
| LEN Excel Formula: | =LEN(text) |
| CONCATENATE Excel Formula: | CONCATENATE(text1, [text2], ...) |
How to Use Excel Formulas
STEP 1 - Open the Excel sheet where you want the result and click on the empty cell that should show the answer.
STEP 2 - Type the equals sign (=) first. Excel treats every calculation as a formula only when it starts with this sign.
STEP 3 - Type the function name, such as SUM or AVERAGE, and then open a bracket. Excel will show a small hint box with the function name and its arguments.
STEP 4 - Select the cells you want to calculate, or type the range manually like B2:B10, then close the bracket and press Enter.
STEP 5 - Check the result in the cell. If you see an error like #VALUE! or #NAME?, click the cell and confirm the range and spelling of the function name.
Download Excel Formulas List PDF
Microsoft publishes the complete alphabetical list of Excel functions on its official support page, and you can save or print that page for offline practice. The same page also links to detailed help for each function, including VLOOKUP and the newer lookup functions.
Visit the official Microsoft Excel functions page here: Excel functions list on Microsoft Support. For software updates and product news, see the Microsoft India website.
If you are preparing for a government computer exam, the RSCIT course selection list covers Excel as part of its syllabus. Students who want a wider view of IT options can check the computer courses name list, and free certificate courses are listed in the eSkillindia courses list.