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Advanced MS Excel
Formulas 4
LEARNING OUTCOMES

LESSON OUTLINE
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RESOURCES NEEDED

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pretest 3

4
____1. Which of the following functions converts text
from uppercase to title case?
a. UPPER
b. PROPER 7
c. LOWER
d. TRIM

11
____2. Which of the following functions converts text
from uppercase to lowercase? 11
a. UPPER
b. PROPER
c. LOWER
20
d. TRIM

____3. Which of the following functions converts text 20

from camel case to uppercase?
a. UPPER
b. PROPER
c. LOWER
d. TRIM

____4. Which of the following functions automatically

counts cells that contains empty value?
a. COUNTBLANK
b. COUNT
c. COUNTIFS
d. COUNTA
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In your previous lesson, you created worksheet using COUNTIF and COUNTIFS formula. In
this module, I will discuss the other process of counting your data using COUNTA and
COUNTBLANK.

Like the COUNT function, COUNTA counts all cells in a given rage. Though, it considers all
cells irrespective of type such as numbers, text, logical values, error values, and empty text returned
in formulas (""). Specifically, in contrast with the COUNT which depends on only numeric. There is
also a COUNTBLANK () function that will count only empty cells.

Below is a table showing name and age. I will demonstrate how to use the COUNT,
COUNTA, and COUNTBLANK formula to count the cell B. Follow the steps below.
1. Do the same process done in the image shown.

2. In cell C11, type = COUNT (and select the area of cell C3:C9).
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Sample Output:

3. In cell C12, type = COUNTA (and select the area of cell C3:C9).
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Sample Output:

4. In cell C13, type = COUNTBLANK (and select the area of cell C3:C9).
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Sample Output:

These are a little less common, but definitely very sophisticated formulas. These functions are
applicable if you want to organize and manipulate large amounts of data. Unfortunately, the data you
get is not always perfectly organized and sometimes there may be issues like extra spaces at the
beginning or end of cells.
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In the example below, you can see how the TRIM formula cleans up the Excel

data.
1. Create a new sheet, then do the same output shown below.

2. In your cell C3, type the formula = TRIM(B3).

Sample Output:

3. Click your cell C3, then drag the fill handle to copy the formula from C4 to C5.
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Sample Output:

The LEN function will return the length of a specific text string as the number of characters. It
also counts characters in numbers; however, number formatting is not included.
1. Add additional column headers in your existing workbook as shown below.

2. In you cell D3, type = LEN (select your cell B3).

Sample Output:

3. Click your cell D3, then drag the fill handle to copy the formula from D4 to D5.
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Sample Output:

4. Do the same process in your from cell E3, type = LEN(select C3).

Sample Output:

5. Click your cell E3, then drag the fill handle to copy the formula from E4 to E5.
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Now, let’s assume that your objective is to retrieve only the numbers that are inside strings. How
would you then achieve this by using LEFT, RIGHT, and MID functions?

Let’s plunge into the few examples to take a look at how you can achieve this goal. Create
another worksheet and do the image shown below.

The LEFT function can return text from the beginning of a cell (left to right). In our example our
goal is to get the value of the first name.

Syntax

=LEFT(Cell where the string is located, Number of characters needed from the Left side of the
string)

1. In you cell C3, type = LEFT (select B3,8).

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Sample Output:

Okay, let’s see if you will be able to make the LEFT function by performing the formula to other
cells and you have to demonstrate the same output in the image displayed below.

The RIGHT function operates exactly the same as LEFT function syntactically with the
exception of you are choosing the number of characters from the end of the string you want to
extract from the given string.

Syntax

=RIGHT(Cell where the string is located, Number of characters needed from the Right side of
the string)

In our example our goal is to get the value of the last name.

1. In you cell D3, type = RIGHT (select B3,10).

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Sample Output:

Okay, let’s see if you will be able to make the RIGHT function by performing the formula to
other cells and you have to demonstrate the same output in the image displayed below.

MID function returns text from any start point of the cell (left to right), and RIGHT returns text
from the end of the cell (right to left).
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Syntax

=MID(Cell where the string is located, Starting position of the first character needed, Number of
characters needed)

But what would happen if the strings are situated in the middle of the string, and you would like
to retrieve just those string? Below are the steps that can be applied:

1. In you cell E3, type = MID(select B3,6,3).

Sample Output:
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Okay, let’s see if you will be able to make the MID function by performing the formula to other
cells and you have to demonstrate the same output in the image displayed below.

Microsoft Excel includes three special functions that can be used to modify the case of text.
They are UPPER, LOWER and PROPER. The upper() function enables you to convert all
lowercase letters in a text string to uppercase. The lower() function facilitates to eliminate capital
letters from text. The proper() function becomes the first letter of each word capitalized and leaves
the other letters lowercase or in a camel case format.

In the worksheet below, the Lower function is used to convert text strings to lower case. Create
another worksheet and do the image shown below.
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1. In you cell C3, type = lower(select B3).

Sample Output:

2. Click your cell C3, then drag the fill handle to copy the formula from C4 to C7.

Sample Output:
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In the worksheet below, the Lower function is used to convert text strings to upper case.
1. In you cell D3, type = upper(select B3).

Sample Output:

2. Click your cell D3, then drag the fill handle to copy the formula from D4 to D7.
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Sample Output:

In the worksheet below, the Proper function is used to convert text strings to sentence case or
camel case format.
1. In you cell E3, type = upper(select D3).

Sample Output:

2. Click your cell E3, then drag the fill handle to copy the formula from E4 to E7.
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Sample Output:

REFERENCES

Harvey, G. (2019). Excel 2019 All-in-one for Dummies. Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.

Bluttman,K.(2019). Excel Formula & Functions for Dummies (5th Ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Curtis, F. (2015). Microsoft Excel 2016 Step by Step. Redmond,Washington:Microsoft Press.

PRETEST ANSWER KEY

1. B
2. C
3. A
4. A