Formula explainer
Understand any formula, piece by piece
Paste a formula you inherited or found online. You get what it returns, what every function and argument does, a worked example, and any problems worth fixing.
- Plain English
- Spots fragile parts
- Excel and Google Sheets
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How to read a formula like an expert
Spreadsheet formulas are evaluated from the inside out. The explainer follows the same order, so it helps to know the pattern:
- Find the innermost brackets. Those calculations run first, for example the
MATCHinsideINDEX(…, MATCH(…)). - Read each function's arguments left to right. Commas (or semicolons) separate them. The first argument is usually what to look at, and the last is often an option such as exact match.
- Watch the $ signs.
$A$2stays fixed when you copy the formula,A2moves. Most "it worked in the first row only" problems come from a missing $. - Check the error handling.
IFERRORandIFNAhide errors, which can also hide real mistakes.
If the explanation reveals a bug, switch to the formula fixer to get a corrected version.
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Frequently asked questions
Can it explain very long nested formulas?
Yes. Paste formulas up to 2,000 characters. The explainer breaks them into pieces in the order Excel evaluates them, so nested IFs, INDEX/MATCH combinations and LET formulas become readable.
Does it work with Google Sheets formulas like QUERY and ARRAYFORMULA?
Yes. Set the app to Google Sheets and it explains Sheets-only functions such as QUERY, ARRAYFORMULA, IMPORTRANGE, SPLIT and REGEXEXTRACT.
Will it point out problems in my formula?
Often, yes. Alongside the explanation it flags fragile parts, such as VLOOKUP without FALSE, ranges that will break when rows are added, or functions your Excel version does not have. To get a corrected version, switch to the Fix tab.
Can I paste formulas that use semicolons?
Yes. Formulas from European versions of Excel that use semicolons are understood. Choose "Semicolon" to see any suggested formulas in the same style.