Using Spreadsheet Formulas: 5 Jobs That Require This Skill

Key takeaways

Spreadsheet formulas allow you to manipulate data in your spreadsheet by adding, subtracting, or otherwise engaging spreadsheet cells. 

• Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets offer hundreds of built-in functions [1,2].

• Spreadsheet formulas are used to organize data, analyze financial statements or projections, manage projects, track inventory, and more. 

• You can use spreadsheets for job-related tasks in roles such as accountant, financial analyst, or project manager. 

Explore types of spreadsheet formulas and how you can use them in career paths such as financial analyst, accountant, project manager, and more. Or, start learning now with the Meta Data Analyst Professional Certificate. In as little as five months, you can develop an understanding of the foundational principles of effective data management and usability of data assets within an organizational context. By the end, you’ll have earned a shareable certificate to add to your professional profile.

What is a spreadsheet formula?

A spreadsheet formula is a method of manipulating data within cells of a spreadsheet, such as Excel or Sheets. These mathematical expressions instruct the program about how you’d like to interact with the data. Unlike a spreadsheet function, a user writes a formula to define what the cell should do. While providing instructions to the spreadsheet, the program predefined a function for easy use. 

You can use spreadsheet formulas to complete basic math functions like adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. You can also use spreadsheets for more complicated applications, such as tracking financial data, managing a database of information, or performing other kinds of data analysis. 

Common spreadsheet formulas

You can choose from hundreds of predetermined functions or write custom formulas to add a wide range of functionality to your spreadsheets. A few standard spreadsheet formulas include:

• SUM: Adds numbers in a range or selection of cells.

• SUMIF: Adds numbers in a range or selection of cells if they meet a condition.

• DATE: This function returns a serial number representing a date.

• TODAY: Similar to DATE, this function returns today's date.

• LOOKUP: Allows you to find values within a row or column that match the specified value.

• SORT: Sorts cells with numerical values within a column from the lowest to the highest. 

• DGET: Allows you to return a value from a database.

• CHOOSE: Returns a random value from an array you define. 

• DAYS: Calculates the number of days between two provided dates. 

Types of spreadsheet formulas

Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets offer hundreds of built-in functions [1,2]. Both programs allow you to create custom spreadsheet formulas as needed. You can explore the different spreadsheet formulas available by considering what they do or how they instruct the program to manipulate your data. 

Consider the types of spreadsheet functions already available in programs like Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel: 

• Math and trigonometry: You can use spreadsheets to add, subtract, multiply, divide, or complete more complicated calculations like trigonometry.

• Lookup and reference: You can write a spreadsheet formula to look for instances of a number, calculate the number of rows or columns in an array, or point to a cell where you can find information. 

• Date and time: Sheets and Excel include date and time functions to manipulate how this information displays in the cell or perform analysis using time as a metric. 

• Logical: You can use logical spreadsheet formulas to work with conditional statements. These include determining whether a statement is true or returning a value only if other conditions are met. 

• Statistical: You can write spreadsheet formulas for statistical calculations, such as calculating averages or ratios. 

• Text: You can also write formulas that manipulate text, like returning an array of text values, combining text from different cells, or converting numbers into text characters based on a code you provide. 

• Financial: Financial formulas can create more complicated mathematical equations used in financial analysis. These include calculating interest, appreciation, or depreciation, discount rates, or currency conversion.

What are the 10 most commonly used Excel functions?

The 10 most commonly used functions in Excel include:

• SUM: Adds the values in cells

• IF: Returns one value if a condition is met and another if it isn’t

• SUMIFS: Adds numbers where conditions are met

• XLOOKUP: Searches for a range or array and returns the first item that matches

• COUNTIFS: Counts the number of cells in a range meeting criteria

• LET: Assigns names to calculation results

• FILTER: Filters data based on criteria

• UNIQUE: Returns a list of unique values within a range

• TEXTBEFORE: Returns text that occurs before a certain string

Read more: How to Improve Data Analysis Skills at Any Level of Experience 

5 jobs that require proficiency in using spreadsheet formulas

Spreadsheets are versatile solutions for managing and working with data in various industries. If you want to consider a career that requires proficiency in spreadsheet formulas, explore the five jobs below to see if you can find a career that fits you. 

All salary information represents the median total pay from Glassdoor as of April 2026. These figures include base salary and additional pay, which may represent profit-sharing, commissions, bonuses, or other compensation.

Financial analyst

Total median salary in the US (Glassdoor): $107,000 [3]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2024 to 2034): 6 percent [4]

As a financial analyst, you will help companies and clients make wise investment decisions. This can either be on the buy side—assisting clients to purchase investments—or the sell side—helping clients determine who to sell assets to. In this role, you will use spreadsheet formulas for financial forecasting, budgeting, and variance analysis to support strategic investment decisions.

Accountant

Total median salary in the US (Glassdoor): $92,000 [5]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2024 to 2034): 5 percent [6]

As an accountant, you will prepare financial records, analyze risks or rewards associated with certain business decisions or investments, and advise how companies or individuals can meet their financial goals. In this role, you will use spreadsheet formulas to prepare financial statements and tax calculations, and conduct audits to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Data analyst

Total median salary in the US (Glassdoor): $93,000 [7]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2024 to 2034): 34 percent [8]

As a data analyst, you will use data to help companies and organizations solve problems, including gathering, analyzing, and interpreting data. You will also share your findings with other stakeholders. In this role, you will use spreadsheet formulas to clean, sort, and analyze large datasets, generating actionable insights through data manipulation and visualization.

Project manager

Total median salary in the US (Glassdoor): $105,000 [9]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2024 to 2034): 6 percent [10]

As a project manager, you will be responsible for planning projects to ensure they stay within the client's or company's scope, budget, and resource constraints. In this role, you will use spreadsheet formulas for project scheduling, resource allocation, budget tracking, and risk assessment to ensure projects finish on time and within budget.

Operations manager

Total median salary in the US (Glassdoor): $104,000 [11]

Job outlook (projected growth from 2024 to 2034): 4 percent [12]

As an operations manager, you will be responsible for overseeing and managing the company's day-to-day operations, including creating schedules, delegating work, planning resources, and creating new policies. In this role, you will use spreadsheet formulas for operational analysis, efficiency optimization, cost control, and performance reporting to improve organizational effectiveness.

Explore free spreadsheet resources on Coursera

Looking to level up your learning? Get insights into in-demand skills and career trends by subscribing to our LinkedIn newsletter, Career Chat! Build or refresh your data management skills with our other free resources:

• Learn new tools: 3 Ways to Use GenAI to Boost Spreadsheet Productivity

• Build related skills: Top Skill Alert: Open Doors with Spreadsheets

• Watch on YouTube: Getting Started With Microsoft Excel 

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