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Google Sheets

Google Sheets formulas reference

Google Sheets shares most of its formula language with Excel, but it also ships a small set of extremely powerful functions you won't find anywhere else. QUERY brings SQL to spreadsheets. ARRAYFORMULA lets a single formula fill an entire column. IMPORTRANGE connects workbooks live. And a family of regex helpers makes text cleaning genuinely pleasant.

This section focuses on the Sheets-specific patterns and the everyday functions that behave differently from Excel. Each guide covers exact syntax, worked examples, common pitfalls (quoting strings, mixed column types, permission errors on IMPORTRANGE), and the best-practice patterns that keep Sheets fast even with thousands of rows. If you're moving from Excel to Sheets, or trying to replace a fragile chain of helper columns with a single dynamic formula, start here.

What you'll learn

Core concepts covered across guides in this section.

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  • QUERY

    Google Sheets

    QUERY

    Intermediate

    Learn SQL-style filtering, grouping, sorting and advanced data analysis inside Google Sheets.

    4.912,500 readersPopular
    8 min read
    25 Examples
    Updated Jul 16, 2026
    Read Guide
  • ARRAYF

    Google Sheets

    ARRAYFORMULA

    Coming Next

    Apply a formula down an entire column automatically, no drag required.

    Learn:

    • Dynamic arrays
    • Column automation
    • Performance tips
    7 min read
    14 Examples
    Updated Recently

    Expected: August 2026

  • IMPORT

    Google Sheets

    IMPORTRANGE

    Coming Next

    Pull live data from another Google Sheet with permissions handled.

    Learn:

    • Cross-sheet linking
    • Permissions
    • Refresh behaviour
    5 min read
    10 Examples
    Updated Recently

    Expected: August 2026

  • FILTER

    Google Sheets

    FILTER & SORT

    Coming Next

    Dynamic filtering and sorting without helper columns or scripts.

    Learn:

    • Nested conditions
    • Sort keys
    • Combining with QUERY
    5 min read
    12 Examples
    Updated Recently

    Expected: August 2026

  • UNIQUE

    Google Sheets

    UNIQUE & COUNTUNIQUE

    Coming Next

    Extract distinct values and count them in one formula.

    Learn:

    • Distinct values
    • Cross-column uniqueness
    • Combining with FILTER
    4 min read
    9 Examples
    Updated Recently

    Expected: September 2026

  • REGEXM Pro

    Google Sheets

    REGEXMATCH, REGEXEXTRACT, REGEXREPLACE

    Pro

    Sheets-only regex helpers for cleaning messy text.

    • Download workbook files
    • Sample datasets included
    • Guided exercises
    • AI walkthrough
    Unlock with XLFormula AI Pro
  • GOOGLE

    Google Sheets

    GOOGLETRANSLATE & GOOGLEFINANCE

    Early Access

    Translate strings and pull market data straight into a sheet.

    Learn:

    • Language codes
    • Market symbols
    • Refresh cadence
    5 min read
    8 Examples
    Updated Recently

    Expected: August 2026

  • IMPORT Pro

    Google Sheets

    IMPORTHTML & IMPORTXML

    Pro

    Scrape tables and structured data from public web pages.

    • Download workbook files
    • Sample datasets included
    • Guided exercises
    • AI walkthrough
    Unlock with XLFormula AI Pro
  • APPSSC Pro

    Google Sheets

    Apps Script basics

    Pro

    Automate Sheets with lightweight JavaScript and custom functions.

    • Download workbook files
    • Sample datasets included
    • Guided exercises
    • AI walkthrough
    Unlock with XLFormula AI Pro

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Who is this for?

  • Teams that collaborate in Google Workspace
  • Analysts who need SQL-style transforms without leaving a sheet
  • Educators, students, and non-profits on Sheets by default
  • Excel users learning the Sheets-specific formula language

Why it matters

Sheets is built for collaboration and integration. Formulas like QUERY and ARRAYFORMULA let a single owner maintain a report that hundreds of people read live — no exports, no stale copies, no manual refresh.

Learning the Sheets-native patterns is what turns a spreadsheet from a static file into a small, dependable data application.

Frequently asked questions

Are Google Sheets formulas the same as Excel?
Most core functions match, but Sheets adds QUERY, ARRAYFORMULA, IMPORTRANGE, and regex helpers that Excel doesn't have.
Do I need Apps Script to automate Sheets?
Not for most tasks. QUERY, ARRAYFORMULA, and FILTER cover the vast majority of automation. Apps Script is for triggers, external APIs, and complex logic.
Why does my QUERY return #VALUE!?
Usually a column letter that doesn't exist in the data range, or mixed data types in a column. See the full QUERY guide for a complete debug checklist.
How large a dataset can Sheets handle?
A single sheet supports 10 million cells. QUERY and FILTER handle tens of thousands of rows comfortably; for millions of rows use BigQuery instead.
Can XLFormula AI write QUERY or ARRAYFORMULA for me?
Yes. Describe the transformation in plain English on the homepage and get a Google Sheets formula tailored to your data.

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