Nesting Functions

[Chenboy2]

I started getting serious about Excel while I was in college about 20 years ago. First, it was looking up Help, and then searched online. After YouTube got big and everyone was doing it I spent/spend time watching the videos. Websites are still very helpful and a little faster than YouTube.

I can impress people with little to no skills, but MVPs don't think much of me. On a scale from 0-10, I'm maybe a 7. VBA and SQL is not my strength. Where do the MVPs learn things to teach other people the really complicated and new functions that come up? What skillset is needed to learn how to create nested functions?

 

[Joe4]

I started getting serious about Excel while I was in college about 20 years ago. First, it was looking up Help, and then searched online. After YouTube got big and everyone was doing it I spent/spend time watching the videos. Websites are still very helpful and a little faster than YouTube.

I can impress people with little to no skills, but MVPs don't think much of me. On a scale from 0-10, I'm maybe a 7. VBA and SQL is not my strength. Where do the MVPs learn things to teach other people the really complicated and new functions that come up? What skillset is needed to learn how to create nested functions?

There are lots of great books out there on VBA, including some at the MrExcel bookstore.
That is a good way to get an introduction into VBA. Then just surfing this site here and reading threads which catch your attention is a good way to keep building on that.
I have learned an awful lot by reading threads from some of the brilliant minds here.

 

[Chenboy2]

I can list a number of YouTube videos where I ask myself, "How did they know how to use that certain function?". Please let me know if you want me to list the links.

Back in the day, I bought Wallengbach's 2010 Excel Formulas book. It helped explain how to use each function separately.

Are there books that teach how to nest functions together?

 

[Joe4]

Are there books that teach how to nest functions together?

I don't know if anyone has done a book strictly on that. Since there are over 500 functions in Excel, there are literally endless possibilities of functions that you can nest.

But the concept of nesting is actually quite simple. Most every Excel functions has "arguments" (or "inputs", if you prefer).
All that nesting functions is putting another function in one or more of those arguments.

For example, let's say that we have a date in cell A1. If we wanted to get the year portion of that date, we could use the YEAR function, that is structured like this:
=YEAR(date)
where date is the argument/input for this function.
So the formula would look like:
=YEAR(A1)

Now let's say that we wanted to dynamically return the current year (so it would return 2022 right now, 2023 next year, etc).
Then we could nest the TODAY() function in there (putting it into the date argument), which returns the current date, i.e.
=YEAR(TODAY())

That is all the nesting functions really is. If you do a Google search on "nesting functions" in Excel, you will find various articles and videos you can check out.
One of the most common things to nest in Excel is the IF function, so you may see that one pop-up a lot.
Here is a link to one article that discusses that: Excel formula: Nested IF function example | Exceljet
There are lots more to be found out there (probably more than you ever cared to see!).

 

[Chenboy2]

I'm referring to functions in this video:

There are others on YouTube. Please let me know if you want to see more of them.

 

[Joe4]

There are others on YouTube. Please let me know if you want to see more of them.

I am confused, are you looking for advice, or trying to offer it?
Are those your videos?

 

[Chenboy2]

No, I'm asking for advice. I want to learn how to create functions that these advanced users learned.

 

[Joe4]

No, I'm asking for advice. I want to learn how to create functions that these advanced users learned.

Just like anything else, you have to build your way up to it. There are no shortcuts.

Most every function out there has documentation on it (Microsoft has done their own, but I like a lot of the others ones, like TechOnTheNet).
So it is good to check those out to understand what the functions do and see some examples on how they work.

Then, you can watch videos, read threads on forums like this, and check out some books on advanced skills, like some of the ones over at the MrExcel bookstore:

Advanced Excel Techniques - Online Course

Understanding data is crucial, and the easiest place to start is with Microsoft Excel. In this guide, I've compiled advanced skills and formulas in Excel that you should know to analyze and understand your data easier and faster.

www.mrexcel.com

MrExcel LX – The Holy Grail of Excel Tips

A book for people who use Excel 40+ hours per week. Illustrated in full color.

www.mrexcel.com

 

[Chenboy2]

I don't know if anyone has done a book strictly on that. Since there are over 500 functions in Excel, there are literally endless possibilities of functions that you can nest.

But the concept of nesting is actually quite simple. Most every Excel functions has "arguments" (or "inputs", if you prefer).
All that nesting functions is putting another function in one or more of those arguments.

For example, let's say that we have a date in cell A1. If we wanted to get the year portion of that date, we could use the YEAR function, that is structured like this:
=YEAR(date)
where date is the argument/input for this function.
So the formula would look like:
=YEAR(A1)

Now let's say that we wanted to dynamically return the current year (so it would return 2022 right now, 2023 next year, etc).
Then we could nest the TODAY() function in there (putting it into the date argument), which returns the current date, i.e.
=YEAR(TODAY())

That is all the nesting functions really is. If you do a Google search on "nesting functions" in Excel, you will find various articles and videos you can check out.
One of the most common things to nest in Excel is the IF function, so you may see that one pop-up a lot.
Here is a link to one article that discusses that: Excel formula: Nested IF function example | Exceljet
There are lots more to be found out there (probably more than you ever cared to see!).

I know these simple functions.

Just like anything else, you have to build your way up to it. There are no shortcuts.

Most every function out there has documentation on it (Microsoft has done their own, but I like a lot of the others ones, like TechOnTheNet).
So it is good to check those out to understand what the functions do and see some examples on how they work.

Then, you can watch videos, read threads on forums like this, and check out some books on advanced skills, like some of the ones over at the MrExcel bookstore:

Advanced Excel Techniques - Online Course

Understanding data is crucial, and the easiest place to start is with Microsoft Excel. In this guide, I've compiled advanced skills and formulas in Excel that you should know to analyze and understand your data easier and faster.

www.mrexcel.com

MrExcel LX – The Holy Grail of Excel Tips

A book for people who use Excel 40+ hours per week. Illustrated in full color.

www.mrexcel.com

I'm asking on the wrong forum. Nothing but Mr. Excel will be promoted on this website. The Advanced Excel video doesn't teach me functions.

 

[Joe4]

I know these simple functions.

I'm asking on the wrong forum. Nothing but Mr. Excel will be promoted on this website. The Advanced Excel video doesn't teach me functions.

OK, I am going to have to call BS on your here.
I also mentioned Google Searches and sites like "TechOnTheNet" and "ExcelJet'.
I have also taken the time to respond to you and provided detailed explanations.

I am not sure why you are asking for advice when you don't seem inclined to take any of it.
There is plenty of stuff out there on the internet that would help you if you took a few minutes to search it.