USING BUILT-IN FUNCTION REFERENCE

Ecel has hundreds of built-in worksheet function. Excel offers several built-in resources about these functions:

• The online Help system - The online Help system includes a detailed description of each worksheet function. Just press F1 to display the Microsoft Excel Help task pane, and then type a function name into the Search box to find all the relevant Help topics. You can also click the Table of Contents link in the task pane, click on Working With Data, and then select the Function Reference, where the functions are grouped into functional categories to help you find the one you need.
  
  
• The Insert Function dialog box - This dialog box can be used to search through the entire list of functions if you are not sure which function you need. To display the Insert Function dialog box, click the Insert Function button in the formula bar.
  
  
• The Function Arguments dialog box - This dialog box provides details about the function, and the required arguments appear in the middle of the dialog box. Notice that there is also a link to the relevant Help topic at the bottom of the dialog box. To display the Function Arguments dialog box, first select a cell containing a function and then click the Insert Function button on the formula bar. You can also click the Insert Function button while you are in the process of entering a formula after you type in a valid function name and an open parenthesis.
  
  
• Function ScreenTips - These (yellow tags that appear below formulas) are useful if you are unsure about the syntax of a function as you enter a formula, and you can get help without even leaving the cell. After you type the required open parenthesis following any valid function name, the appropriate ScreenTip appears. The ScreenTip shows you the correct function syntax and also includes a link to the Help topic on the selected function. Just click the function name in the ScreenTip to display the relevant topic from the online Help system. If you click an argument name in the ScreenTip, the corresponding section of the formula is highlighted for you, making it easy to identify each argument.