Next Generation Excel: Modeling In Excel For Analysts And MBAs (For MS Windows And Mac OS), 2nd Edition

Part Two

IF Functions and Text Manipulations

Part Two covers two commonly needed skills: the use of the IF functions, which make Excel a better tool for decision-making purposes, and the Text manipulation functions.

The IF function can be used when the information you want in a cell is conditional—IF you need to specify two (or more) different answers for a cell based on conditions you determine. For example, if the hourly rates are different for regular and overtime. Or if the commission rates are lower for less than $10,000, are higher for over $10,000, and are much higher for sales over $30,000. The IF function is similar to the statements you may see with software programming. It is similar to the steps you would take when using a computer programming language without coding.

Text manipulation in Excel has some powerful tools. The first section in this part will demonstrate how to separate data confined in a single column—spreading it into a number of columns. Data acquired from different sources may come as a text file—or may be separated with spaces, commas, or other delimiters. You will learn how to separate the data into columns.