What is Function in Excel ?

What is function?

The definition of Function is formulas that are predefined, user need to enter only the arguments to get the desired result.

Let us understand what Function is and what could be the proper definition of Function using simple example. Suppose we need to find out the maximum of any number series. We will use MAX function; we will type MAX and within the bracket, we will enter the number series and we will get one of the numbers which is the maximum number from these number series. Here MAX() is a function.

Excel has many functions, some of them needs to be feed by arguments and some are NOT.

Also, few functions don’t need to be feed with arguments but are also known as functions, like TIME() and NOW().

Generally, a function ended by opening and closing bracket where we put our arguments and we call them parentheses (brackets).

Therefore, the definition of function needs little modification, and we can define function as ‘function is formulas which is predefined and may or may not require arguments.’

Why use Function?

Human tendency is to reduce the repetitive and frequent jobs. Suppose we need to calculate the SUM of few numbers, to get the sum we have to write 10 lines of (programming) code. (A programming code is set of instructions to the computer, the code uses the compiler to converts them to zeros and ones, the language of computer and the computer CPU responds accordingly.)

So, every time we want SUM of two or more numbers, we have to write 10 lines of the same code. Now imagine, if we write these 10 lines of codes somewhere and name then as SUM and whenever require we can call SUM and which in turn will call those 10 lines of programming codes and we can avoid writing 10 lines of codes again and again.

We need to modify the definition of Function again.

The definition of Function should be like, “Functions are predefined formulas which are set of programming codes to evaluate some calculations using arguments which may be or may not be required.”

One more thing about functions, there are two types of Functions; inbuilt which comes with any application, like Excel and can also be created using programming tools like C, C++, JAVA etc. In  Excel, Functions can be created using VBA coding which we will learn soon.

Example of function which takes arguments are SUM(), COUNT(), IF() etc. and example of functions which may not require arguments in excel are TIME(), NOW(), DATE() etc.

I hope I am able to make you understand what function is.

Thank you for reading. Happy learning.