Replacing a formula in Excel can be a very useful task if you have a considerable amount of data in a worksheet. If you want to spend little time modifying several formulas, then we recommend reading this article with which you will learn how to replace a formula in Excel quickly and easily
What is a formula in Excel?
A formula in Excel is a tool for performing various operations on a spreadsheet. Thanks to Excel formulas, users can perform simple and complex calculations that involve the use of certain functions depending on the operation that is required. They can even do specific tasks like separating first and last names with formulas from Excel.
What are formulas used for in Excel?
You probably want to know how all Excel formulas are used . In this regard, formulas in Excel are used to carry out various calculations through mathematical operations. It is possible to get a result based on a set of values in a column or row, so the formulas can be applicable in various areas.
Every Excel formula contains an equal operator (=) that tells the application that a formula will be inserted. Also, it includes coordinate references or cells that refer to rows and columns and the use of arithmetic operators for basic calculations.
How to replace a formula in Excel quickly and easily
If you want to replace a formula in Excel quickly and easily, you need to know the various options offered by this Office application and a series of steps that you must follow as explained below.
Use a special command
In case you have a spreadsheet with a considerable amount of data and you need to change a formula you can use the command “Replace” in order to do the process quickly in all the formulas.
Applying a function
It is possible to understand the use of the “replace” command through an example. Consider the twelve months of the year and the monthly earnings from the sale of two types of products. Each product is a different column just like each month of the year is a different row.
If we want to obtain the average profit for each type of product, we can use a formula that includes the AVERAGE function which will show a result at the end of the column for each product. Remember that you can also get a general average in Excel using the formula.
Replace the formula using the “replace” command
In case a report is requested with the total sales of the year instead of the average profit, it is possible to modify the formula using the command “replace”. To do so, press the “start” command and click “Modify.” Then select “find and select” and hit “Replace.”
In the dialog box, click on the “Replace” tab and press the “Options” button. In the “Search” option locate the AVERAGE function that was previously used and in “Replace with” select “SUM”. Press the “Replace All” button and click “OK.” In this way, you will have made two replacements (one for each type of product).
An alternative to accessing the “Replace” command
To be able to quickly access the “Replace” command, just press the “Ctrl + L” keys. Immediately, you will be able to see the dialog box containing the “Find and” Replace “tabs. Make sure to press the “options” button as this will allow you to access the command’s configuration details.
Configuration options
In the configuration options you will see the option “Inside”. This is used to select where the changes will be applied, either the sheet or the workbook. You can also find the option “Search” to specify if the process will be done in the rows or columns and the option “Search in” where you must indicate the value “Formulas” to replace them.
