Common Excel Functions for Beginners
Links Verified: March 19, 2026
Common Excel functions help beginners calculate answers quickly and consistently. Some of the most useful beginner functions are SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX, COUNT, and COUNTA.
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What Functions Do
A function is a built-in Excel formula. Instead of writing every calculation from scratch, you can use a function to save time.
Good First Functions
Use SUM to add values, AVERAGE to find the mean, MIN and MAX to find the lowest and highest values, and COUNT or COUNTA to count entries.
Try It
- Enter several quiz scores.
- Use SUM to find the total.
- Use AVERAGE to find the class average.
- Use MAX to find the highest score.
Next step: Continue to Create a Chart in Excel.
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