Work & productivity / QUICK REFERENCE
Everyday spreadsheet formulas
Useful starting points for adding, counting and making simple decisions in a spreadsheet.
Summarize a range
- Add numbers
=SUM(A1:A5)Add the numeric values in cells A1 through A5. [1]
- Find the arithmetic mean
=AVERAGE(A1:A5)Average the numeric values. Empty cells and zero-valued cells do not have the same effect. [2]
- Smallest value
=MIN(A1:A5)Return the smallest numeric value in this range. [3]
- Largest value
=MAX(A1:A5)Return the largest numeric value in this range. [3]
Count and choose
- Count numbers
=COUNT(A1:A5)Count cells containing numeric values, not every nonempty cell. [3]
- Count nonempty values
=COUNTA(A1:A5)Count values in the range. Empty strings produced by formulas can also count; visually blank is not always empty. [3]
- Choose between two results
=IF(A1>=10,"Ready","Not yet")Return Ready when A1 is at least 10; otherwise return Not yet. [3]
- Round to two decimal places
=ROUND(A1,2)Round the value numerically. Number formatting alone only changes its display. [3]
PROVENANCE, NOT A PROMISE
Sources & verification
Examples were checked against the linked Microsoft and Google documentation. No automated test here runs Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. Actual application, locale, blank-cell and error-value behavior still requires independent testing.
Independent review pending. This sheet was prepared with AI assistance. Source checks and automated tests do not establish universal correctness.
- SUM function ↗Microsoft · accessed 2026-10-19
- AVERAGE function ↗Microsoft · accessed 2026-10-19
- Google Sheets function list ↗Google · accessed 2026-10-19
cheatsheetatlas.com/sheets/spreadsheet-formulas/ · Starter example · Revision 1 · 2026-10-19