How to Insert Functions in Excel 2007

1. Insert a function into an Excel cell manually by clicking in the cell, typing it in and pressing the 'Enter' key. The AutoComplete menu will pop up as you begin to type the formula. If you do not need it, ignore it. If you are unsure how to enter a function without assistance, use the 'Formulas' menu.
2. Insert a function into an Excel cell by selecting the 'Formulas' tab on the Top menu. This is especially helpful if you are unsure what function to use.
3. Click the button that most closely describes the action you are trying to perform with the function. A pull-down list of functions opens. Hover over each function with your mouse and a box describing the function appears.
4. Left-click the function to automatically insert it in the cell. A box opens that tells you exactly what the function does and how to properly structure the variables. Enter the variables and select the 'OK' button.
5. Click in the cell to make any changes to the function. A structure guide for the formula will automatically appear below the cell as long as you have the Formula AutoComplete tool turned on.
6. Turn on the Formula AutoComplete option if it is not already on. Click the 'Microsoft Office Button,' click 'Excel Options' and then click the 'Formulas' category. Under 'Working with formulas,' check the box next to 'Formula Auto Complete' and click the 'OK' button. You can enter a formula with the assistance of the Formula AutoComplete tool.
7. Start typing the formula. When you reach the first letter of the function you would like to use, it triggers Formula AutoComplete. Using the SUM function, for the example, when you type in '=s,' Excel filters the Formula AutoComplete list by all the functions and active cell references that begin with 's.' Typing in the next letter ('=su') filters the list to all options that begin with 'su' and the filtering continues as you type in more letters.
8. Navigate the AutoComplete menu using the arrows on your keyboard or selecting each one by left-clicking with your mouse. As you land on each option, Excel displays a Screen Tip designed to help you choose the best option.
9. Double-click your selection and the function will be entered with the left parenthesis in place ('=sum(') and a description of what the formula should look like underneath. For the SUM function, this looks like 'SUM(number 1, [number 2], [number 3], ...).' Review the description if necessary to ensure that your formula is correctly constructed.
10. Now enter your data and close the formula with the right parenthesis: ').' Using the SUM function, your function could look like this: '=sum(5, B1:B25, c23, c1, b1 b2).' You have inserted a function into Excel.
11. Understand your formula.This formula states, 'five (5) plus the sum value of the range b1 to b25 (B1:B25) plus the value in cell C23 (C23) plus the value of cell B1 plus the value of cell B25 (B1 B25).This formula demonstrates some of the structures defined as numbers by Excel.