If you're not using Microsoft Excel formulas and functions, you're doing it all wrong. If you learn some, they can dramatically increase the app's functionality and speed up your workflow.

But who's got time to study this stuff? Why not take a shortcut and use our Excel formulas cheat sheet instead?

In Excel, a formula is an equation put together by the user. A function is a pre-defined calculation built into Excel that makes it easier to write formulas.

For instance, in the cheat sheet below:

Today() is a function that gives you the current date.Today()+10 is a formula that adds 10 days to the current date.

The terms formula and function are often used interchangeably, so we will stick to using "formulas" to avoid confusion in this basic cheat sheet. Just remember, you make your own formulas, while functions are pieces of code programmed into Excel by default.

The Microsoft Excel Formulas Cheat Sheet

Date and Time Formulas

=NOW

Show the date and time

=TODAY()

Show the current date without the time

=DAY(TODAY())

Show today's date in a cell

=MONTH(TODAY())

Show current month in a cell

=TODAY()+10

Add 10 days to current date

Counting and Rounding Formulas

=SUM

Calculates the sum of a group of values

=AVERAGE

Calculates the mean of a group of values

=COUNT

Counts the number of cells in a range that contains numbers

=INT

Removes the decimal portion of a number

=ROUND

Rounds a number to a specified number of decimal places

=IF

Tests for a true or false condition

=NOW

Returns the date and time

=TODAY

Returns the date, without the time

=SUMIF

Calculates a sum from a group of values in which a condition has been met

=COUNTIF

Counts the number of cells in a range that match a criteria

=COUNTA(A1:A5)

Count the number of non-blank cells in a range

=ROUND(1.45, 1)

Rounds 1.45 to one decimal place

=ROUND(-1.457, 2)

Rounds -1.457 to two decimal places

=TRUE

Returns the logical value TRUE

=FALSE

Returns the logical value FALSE

=AND

Returns TRUE if all of its arguments are TRUE

=OR

Returns TRUE if any argument is TRUE

Unit Conversion Formulas

=CONVERT(A1,"day","hr")

Converts value of A1 from days to hours

=CONVERT(A1,"hr","mn")

Converts value of A1 from hours to minutes

=CONVERT(A1,"yr", "day")

Converts value of A1 from years to days

=CONVERT(A1,"C","F")

Converts value of A1 from Celsius to Fahrenheit

=CONVERT(A1,"tsp","tbs")

Converts value of A1 from teaspoons to tablespoons

=CONVERT(A1,"gal","l")

Converts value of A1 from gallons to liters

=CONVERT(A1,"mi","km")

Converts value of A1 from miles to kilometers

=CONVERT(A1,"km","mi")

Converts value of A1 from kilometers to miles

=CONVERT(A1,"in","ft")

Converts value of A1 from inches to feet

=CONVERT(A1,"cm","in")

Converts value of A1 from centimeters to inches

=BIN2DEC(1100100)

Converts binary 1100100 to decimal (100)

=ROMAN

Converts a number into a Roman numeral

Mathematics

=B2-C9

Subtracts values in the two cells

=D8*A3

Multiplies the numbers in the two cells

=PRODUCT(A1:A19)

Multiplies the cells in the range

=PRODUCT(F6:A1,2)

Multiplies the cells in the range, and mulitplies the result by 2

=A1/A3

Divides value in A1 by the value in A3

=MOD

Returns the remainder from division

=MIN(A1:A8)

Calculates the smallest number in a range

=MAX(C27:C34)

Calculates the largest number in a range

=SMALL(B1:B7, 2)

Calculates the second smallest number in a range

=LARGE(G13:D7,3)

Calculates the third largest number in a range

=POWER(9,2)

Calculates nine squared

=9^3

Calculates nine cubed

=FACT(A1)

Factorial of value in A1

=EVEN

Rounds a number up to the nearest even integer

=ODD

Rounds a number up to the nearest odd integer

=AVERAGE

Calculates the average

=MEDIAN

Calculates the median

=SQRT

Calculates the square root of a number

=PI

Shows the value of pi

=POWER

Calculates the result of a number raised to a power

=RAND

Returns a random number between 0 and 1

=RANDBETWEEN

Returns a random number between the numbers you specify

=COS

Calculates the cosine of a number

=SIN Returns the sine of the given angle

Calculates the sine of the given angle

=TAN

Calculates the tangent of a number

=CORREL

Calculates the correlation coefficient between two data sets

=STDEVA

Estimates standard deviation based on a sample

=PROB

Returns the probability that values in a range are between two limits

Text Formulas

=LEFT

Extracts one or more characters from the left side of a text string

=RIGHT

Extracts one or more characters from the right side of a text string

=MID

Extracts characters from the middle of a text string

=CONCATENATE

Merges two or more text strings

=REPLACE

Replaces part of a text string

=LOWER

Converts a text string to all lowercase

=UPPER

Converts a text string to all uppercase

=PROPER

Converts a text string to proper case

=LEN

Returns a text string’s length in characters

=REPT

Repeats text a given number of times

=TEXT

Formats a number and converts it to text

=VALUE

Converts a text cell to a number

=EXACT

Checks to see if two text values are identical

=DOLLAR

Converts a number to text, using the USD currency format

=CLEAN

Removes all non-printable characters from text

Finance

=INTRATE

Calculates the interest rate for a fully invested security

=EFFECT

Calculates the effective annual interest rate

=FV

Calculates the future value of an investment

=FVSCHEDULE

Calculates the future value of an initial principal after applying a series of compound interest rates

=PMT

Calculates the total payment (debt and interest) on a debt security

=IPMT

Calculates the interest payment for an investment for a given period

=ACCRINT

Calculates the accrued interest for a security that pays periodic interest

=ACCRINTM

Calculates the accrued interest for a security that pays interest at maturity

=AMORLINC

Calculates the depreciation for each accounting period

=NPV

Calculates the net present value of cash flows based on a discount rate

=YIELD

Calculates the yield of a security based on maturity, face value, and interest rate

=PRICE

Calculates the price per $100 face value of a periodic coupon bond

Speed Up Your Work in Microsoft Excel

You can download and print the above cheat sheet. If you keep referring to it, you'll be an Excel wizard before you know it.

These Excel functions give you a strong foundation to dig deeper into its immense power. Don't forget that Excel also has excellent in-built tools like Power Query. And remember to check out our other articles if you'd like to learn even more Microsoft Excel tips and tricks or work with text and functions in Excel.