Excel Cheatsheet
Free Excel cheatsheet. Searchable reference for common Excel formulas and keyboard shortcuts — lookups, math, logic, text, dates, and more.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP?
XLOOKUP, where available (Excel 365 / Excel 2021 and later), is generally the better choice — it can look in any direction (VLOOKUP only looks rightward), doesn't break if columns are inserted or deleted, and defaults to an exact match instead of VLOOKUP's error-prone default of an approximate match. VLOOKUP remains more widely compatible with older files and other spreadsheet software.
What is the difference between COUNTIF and SUMIF?
COUNTIF counts how many cells meet a condition. SUMIF adds up the values in a corresponding range for the cells that meet a condition. COUNTIFS and SUMIFS are the same, but support multiple conditions at once.
Why does my formula return a #REF!, #N/A, or #VALUE! error?
#REF! means a formula refers to a cell that no longer exists (often because a row/column was deleted). #N/A usually comes from a lookup (VLOOKUP, MATCH) that couldn't find a matching value. #VALUE! usually means a formula received the wrong type of input, like text where a number was expected. Wrapping a formula in IFERROR() lets you show a friendlier fallback instead of the raw error.
What does the $ mean in a cell reference like $A$1?
The dollar sign locks (makes absolute) the row and/or column so it doesn't change when the formula is copied to other cells. $A$1 locks both; A$1 locks only the row; $A1 locks only the column. Pressing F4 while editing a reference cycles through all four combinations.