How to Evaluate Formulas Step by Step in Microsoft Excel

When collaborating on an Excel spreadsheet, you may encounter complex or nested formulas that are difficult to understand. Excel’s Evaluate Formula tool allows you to break down and analyze formulas step by step, making it easier to troubleshoot errors or understand how the formula works.

Where is the Evaluate Formula Tool Available?

As of May 2022, this feature is available on Windows for:

• Excel for Microsoft 365
• Excel 2019
• Excel 2016
• Excel 2013
• Excel 2010
• Excel 2007

How to Use the Evaluate Formula Tool

1. Open your spreadsheet and select the cell containing the formula you want to evaluate.
2. Go to the Formulas tab in the ribbon.
3. Click Evaluate Formula in the Formula Auditing section.
4. The Evaluate Formula window appears, displaying your formula.
5. Click Evaluate to see how Excel processes each part of the formula step by step.
6. If needed, click Restart to review the steps again or Close to exit.

Example 1: Evaluating a Nested Formula

Consider the following formula:

excelCopyEdit=IF(SUM(A1:A5)>20,AVERAGE(A1:A5),"No")

This formula means:

• If the sum of A1:A5 is greater than 20, calculate the average of A1:A5.
• Otherwise, return "No".

Step-by-Step Breakdown

• The tool first evaluates SUM(A1:A5), underlining it.
• Clicking Evaluate calculates the sum.
• If the sum is not greater than 20, the result is False.
• The IF function then returns "No" as the final result.

Example 2: Using Step In and Step Out for Simpler Formulas

Consider this basic formula:

excelCopyEdit=IF(A1=5,"Yes","No")

This formula means:

• If A1 equals 5, return "Yes".
• Otherwise, return "No".

Using Step In and Step Out

1. When the formula appears in the Evaluate Formula window, the Step In button is available.
2. Clicking Step In shows the constant value of A1 (e.g., 1).
3. Clicking Step Out closes this detailed box and continues the evaluation.
4. Clicking Evaluate processes the comparison (1 = 5), resulting in False.
5. Since the condition is False, the formula returns "No".

Why Use the Evaluate Formula Tool?

• Understand complex formulas step by step.
• Troubleshoot formula errors efficiently.
• Improve collaboration by explaining how a formula works.

The next time you encounter a complicated Excel formula, use the Evaluate Formula tool to break it down easily!

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