What are some of the most useful Excel function/formulas that most people are unaware of?

Excel is a powerful spreadsheet software with a wide range of functions and formulas. While many users are familiar with basic functions like SUM and AVERAGE, there are some lesser-known functions that can be incredibly useful. Here are a few Excel functions and formulas that people might be less aware of:

1. VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP:

   • VLOOKUP searches for a value in the first column of a table and returns a value in the same row from another column. HLOOKUP does the same horizontally.
   • Example: =VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])

2. INDEX and MATCH:

   • INDEX returns the value of a cell in a specific row and column of a range, while MATCH searches for a specified value in a range and returns the relative position.
   • Example: =INDEX(range, row_num, column_num) combined with =MATCH(lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_type])

3. IFERROR:

   • IFERROR returns a custom result when a formula generates an error, and it returns the result of the formula if there is no error.
   • Example: =IFERROR(formula, "Custom Result")

4. SUMIF and SUMIFS:

   • SUMIF adds the cells specified by a given condition, and SUMIFS allows for multiple conditions.
   • Example: =SUMIF(range, criteria, [sum_range]) and =SUMIFS(sum_range, criteria_range1, criteria1, [criteria_range2, criteria2], ...)

5. CONCATENATE and CONCAT:

   • CONCATENATE combines two or more strings of text into one string. CONCAT is a newer function with the same purpose.
   • Example: =CONCATENATE(text1, text2, ...) or =CONCAT(range)

6. TEXTJOIN:

   • TEXTJOIN combines text from multiple ranges and/or strings, with the option to add a delimiter between each text item.
   • Example: =TEXTJOIN(delimiter, ignore_empty, text1, text2, ...)

7. CHOOSE:

   • CHOOSE returns a value from a list of values based on a specified position.
   • Example: =CHOOSE(index_num, value1, value2, ...)

8. OFFSET:

   • OFFSET returns a reference offset from a starting cell or range of cells. It's useful for dynamic ranges.
   • Example: =OFFSET(reference, rows, cols, [height], [width])

9. NETWORKDAYS and NETWORKDAYS.INTL:

   • NETWORKDAYS calculates the number of whole workdays between two dates. NETWORKDAYS.INTL allows you to specify custom weekend parameters.
   • Example: =NETWORKDAYS(start_date, end_date, [holidays]) or =NETWORKDAYS.INTL(start_date, end_date, [weekend], [holidays])

10. SUBTOTAL:

    • SUBTOTAL performs a specified calculation for a range of cells, and it can ignore other SUBTOTAL functions within the range.
    • Example: =SUBTOTAL(function_num, ref1, [ref2], ...)

These functions can significantly enhance your ability to analyze and manipulate data in Excel. Experimenting with them in different scenarios will help you become more proficient in using these powerful features.