Summary

This excel formula generator turns a plain task, like looking up a value or summing numbers that meet two conditions, into the exact formula syntax for Excel 365, Excel 2016-2019, or Google Sheets. Pick what you need from twelve common jobs: lookups, conditional sums and counts, text joins, date differences, unique values, conditionals, and error handling. The tool returns the real function, argument by argument, plus a note on which spreadsheet versions support it. Nothing is invented here: every formula matches standard Excel and Sheets documentation.

Excel Formula Generator: Find the Right Formula Fast

Describe the spreadsheet task once. Get the real VLOOKUP, SUMIF, INDEX MATCH, or IF syntax, explained argument by argument, plus the Excel 2016 and Google Sheets version when it differs.

Build my formula

Excel and Google Sheets formula generator

Pick what you are trying to do and which spreadsheet you are using. The formula updates instantly below, ready to copy into your cell.

Formula

    
    
    
How it breaks down

    
    
    
    
  
    

    
      
      
    
    
  
    

    
    
    
    
    How it works
    
    
    What goes into each formula
    
    
  
    
    
    
      
    
            
            
    Real formulas, not guesses
    
            
    Every formula in this generator is standard Excel or Google Sheets syntax, the same syntax documented by Microsoft and Google. Twelve common spreadsheet tasks, three spreadsheet versions each.
    
          
    
            
            
    Version-aware output
    
            
    XLOOKUP and UNIQUE only exist in Excel 365 and Google Sheets. Pick Excel 2016-2019 and the generator swaps in the VLOOKUP or COUNTIF workaround that actually runs there.
    
          
    
            
            
    Copy and go
    
            
    Hit copy, paste into your cell, then swap the cell references for your own range. The argument breakdown underneath tells you exactly what to change.
    
          
    
    
    
  
    

    
    
    
    
    Three steps
    
    
    How to use this generator
    
    
  
    
    
      
      
    1. 
            
      1
      
            
      
              
      Pick your task
      
              
      Choose what you are trying to do from the list: a lookup, a conditional sum, a text join, a date calculation, or one of eight other common jobs.
      
              
            
      
          
    2. 
            
      2
      
            
      
              
      Pick your spreadsheet
      
              
      Excel 365, Excel 2016-2019, or Google Sheets. The formula and the explanation both adjust, since not every function exists in every version.
      
              
            
      
          
    3. 
            
      3
      
            
      
              
      Copy the formula
      
              
      The formula box updates the instant you change either dropdown. Copy it, paste it into your sheet, and swap the cell references for your own range.
      
              
            
      
          
      4. 
    
    
  
    

    
    
    
      
    
        
    Sample output
    
        
    Three real formulas this generator writes for you
    
        
    A lookup across two tables, a conditional sum with two criteria, and a date calculation between two columns: these are three of the spreadsheet questions that come up most in office chats and support tickets. Below is what the generator returns for each one, using Excel 365 syntax. Switch the version dropdown in the tool above and the same three tasks return Excel 2016 or Google Sheets syntax instead.
    
        
    • Lookup: =XLOOKUP(B2, A2:A100, C2:C100, "Not found")
    • Conditional sum: =SUMIFS(D2:D100, A2:A100, "Widgets", B2:B100, ">100")
    • Date difference: =DATEDIF(A2, B2, "d")
    • Each one comes with an argument-by-argument breakdown in the tool above
    
        
      
    
      
    
        Close-up of hands typing on a laptop keyboard at a cafe table with a spreadsheet blurred in the background
      
    
    
    
  
    

    
    
    
    
    
    Common questions
    
    
  
    
    
    
      
    
            Is this Excel formula generator free to use?
            
    Yes. It runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is stored or sent anywhere.
    
          
    
            Does it work for Google Sheets too?
            
    Most of the time. Select Google Sheets in the second dropdown and the generator swaps in Sheets syntax where it differs from Excel, like UNIQUE or TEXTJOIN support.
    
          
    
            Why does the formula change when I pick a different spreadsheet version?
            
    Because it should. XLOOKUP and UNIQUE only work in Excel 365, Excel 2021, and Google Sheets. Excel 2016-2019 needs VLOOKUP, INDEX MATCH, or a COUNTIF workaround instead, and this generator gives you the version that actually runs.
    
          
    
            Where do these formulas come from?
            
    Standard Excel and Google Sheets function syntax, the same syntax documented by Microsoft and Google. Nothing here is a shortcut or an approximation.
    
          
    
            What if the copy button does not work on my browser?
            
    Select the text inside the formula box and copy it manually with Ctrl+C or Cmd+C. Every formula stays visible on screen, so nothing is hidden behind the button.
    
          
    
            Can I use this on my phone during a commute?
            
    Yes, the dropdowns and formula box are built mobile-first. It is a fast reference if you are between trains and need the syntax before you forget it.
    
          
    
            Does this replace learning Excel?
            
    No. It gets you the right formula fast for a specific task. For the reasoning behind SUMIF versus SUMIFS, or why INDEX MATCH beats VLOOKUP, sites like Exceljet and Contextures go deeper.
    
          
    
            Why is not there a formula for my exact situation?
            
    This generator covers twelve of the most common spreadsheet tasks: lookups, conditional sums and counts, text joins, date math, unique values, conditionals, and error handling. It will not cover every edge case, but it covers what most people search for.
    
          
    
    
    
  
    

    
    
    
      
      
    Need more than one formula a day?
    
      
    Formula.dog is built specifically for people who live in spreadsheets: real Excel and Sheets syntax, explained the same way, any time you need it.
    
      
    
        Visit formula.dog
        
      
    
    
    
  
    
        
      
    
    
    
    
    
      
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