What do I like about functions in Excel and Google Sheets?

Everything leads to programming: Excel, Google Sheets, Power Query, Power BI, Artificial Intelligence | Xyclos

What do I like about functions? I like them because when used alone or together, they turn me into a programmer... into a data analyst who provides immediate solutions for working with data, whether in Excel or Google Sheets .

For example, if I have one column with billing dates and another with payment dates, how many days did it take each customer to pay? With a function like =DAYS360(), I can figure this out in seconds.

But it goes further. This knowledge also opens the door for us to work with artificial intelligence. Why? Because often what we ask an AI to do is something that Excel or Google Sheets functions already do.

And if we understand how functions work, we understand the logic behind programming.

And in turn, this knowledge will allow people who are obviously interested to create programs with artificial intelligence. Yes, programs that use proven programming methods... like functions. Because a function is just that: a little piece of code that takes something, transforms it, and gives you a solution.

Simple example to make it clear:

Let's say I have a list of names written in lowercase and I want them to appear in title-type format (the first letter of each word is capitalized). In Excel I would use:

=PROPER( A2)

And that's it. That's pure programming in one line. You're already manipulating text, automating, and using conditional logic.

And what would this be like if I asked an artificial intelligence?

Prompt: "I have a list of names like 'juan perez', 'maria lopez', etc. Could you return the same names but in title-like format, meaning each name starts with a capital letter like 'Juan Perez', 'Maria Lopez'?"

Another example with nested functions: IF() + ISBLANK()

Imagine you have a mailing list and you want to mark the ones that are empty with the word "MISSING MAIL" and leave the rest as is.

=IF(ISBLANK (A2), "MISSING MAIL", A2)

Prompt for AI:

"I have an email list. If any of them are empty, I want you to put 'MISSING EMAIL' instead. Leave the rest as is. Can you do that for me?"

Example with lookup function: VLOOKUP()

You have a table with names and their positions. In another sheet, you have the names, and you need to automatically enter each person's position.

VLOOKUP (A2, Employees!A:B, 2, FALSE)

Prompt for AI:

"I have a table with names and titles. In another table, I have just the names. Could you help me automatically fill in the titles column for each name?"

Learn to think like a programmer using functions in Excel and Google Sheets.

Functions are not just calculation tools, they are keys that open doors to programming and artificial intelligence.

At Xyclos Academy, you can transform your Excel skills into a strategic future skill and think like a programmer by learning how to use a spreadsheet.

The future begins with a cell… Do you dare to take that first step?

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Frequently asked questions about functions and their connection to artificial intelligence

What is the difference between a formula and a function?

A formula is something you build: =A1+A2 , a function is already defined: =SUM(A1:A10)

Why should I learn features if I already have ChatGPT or Clsude or Deepseek or Copilot or Gemini or Mistral or Qwen to help me?

Because learning functions allows you to ask better questions of AI. It gives you mental structure.

Do Google Sheets and Excel use the same functions?

Generally speaking, yes. The names may vary slightly, but 80% of the time, they're the same.

Do I need to know math to understand functions?

Yes, the basics of math: adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, calculating percentages, and learning how to think in logical steps. How to explain something to someone.

What features do you recommend for me to start with?