This article explains how to create formulas with Microsoft Excel. The instructions apply to Excel 2019, Excel 2016, Excel 2013, Excel 2010, and Excel for Microsoft 365.
How to Create Formulas in Microsoft Excel
Writing a spreadsheet formula is different from writing an equation in math class. The most obvious difference is that Excel formulas begin with an equal sign (=) instead of ending with one.
Excel formulas look like =3+2 instead of 3 + 2 =.
The equal sign indicates that what follows is part of a formula and not just a word or number that you want to appear in the cell. After you type the formula and press Enter on your keyboard, the result of the formula appears in the cell.
