Microsoft KB Archive/105640

= WD: Overview of Expression and Formula Field Functions =

Article ID: 105640

Article Last Modified on 1/18/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Word 1.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 1.1 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 1.1 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 2.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 2.0a
 * Microsoft Office Word 2003
 * Microsoft Word 2.0c
 * Microsoft Word 6.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 6.0a
 * Microsoft Word 6.0c
 * Microsoft Word 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 95a
 * Microsoft Word 6.0 for Macintosh
 * Microsoft Word 6.01 for Macintosh
 * Microsoft Word 6.01 for Macintosh
 * Microsoft Word 97 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 98 for Macintosh

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This article was previously published under Q105640



SUMMARY
This article explains in detail the syntax and usage of the operators and functions that are available to the Expression (Formula) field.

In Word versions 6.x and later, the Expression field name was changed to Formula. Also, the Formula field name was changed in version 6.x to Equation.   1.x, 2.x                 6.x, 7.x, 97, 98 Macintosh Edition Field Name              Field Name ---     ---   = (Expression)           = (Formula) Eq (Formula)            Eq (Equation)

OPERATORS
If you combine several operators in one field, Word evaluates the information in the following order:


 * 1) % Percent
 * 2) ^ Exponentiation
 * 3) * and / Multiplication and division
 * 4) + and - Addition and subtraction

In formulas with more than one operator with the same priority, Word evaluates the operators from left to right. Use parentheses if you want to alter the order of evaluations.   +   Addition           Syntax: {=x+y}

-  Subtraction        Syntax: {=x-y}

NOTE: {=x--y} is the same as {=x+y}. An even number of subtraction signs is equivalent to                         one addition sign.

*  Multiplication     Syntax: {=x*y}

/  Division           Syntax: {=x/y}

%  Percentage         Syntax: {=x%} {=25%} = .25                                 {=200*25%} = 50

^  Powers and roots   Raise a number to another power or find a root of a number. Syntax: {=x^y} {=4^2} = 16 4 squared {=3^3} = 27 3 Cubed {=27^(1/3)} = 3 Cube root of 27

=   Is equal to

<   Less than

<=  Less than or equal to

>   Greater than

>=  Greater than or equal to

<>  Not equal to

Word 6.x, 7.x, 97, and Word 98 Macintosh Edition
NOTE: Word for Windows versions 6.x, 7.x, 97, and 98 use A1 reference types to refer to cells. It does not use RnCn reference types.   Bookmarkname  [D4]        Cell D4 in table identified by                             bookmarkname.

Bookmarkname [D4:J17]    Range of cells identified by                             bookmarkname. ABOVE, BELOW, LEFT, RIGHT can be used with the table functions (AVERAGE, COUNT, MAX, MIN, PRODUCT, SUM).

Word 1.x, 2.x
NOTE: n is used to indicate the row or column number.   [RnCn]                    Cell in Row n, Column n.

[Rn]                     All cells in Row n.

[Cn]                     All cells in Column n.

[R]                      Row that the formula is in, including the current cell.

[C]                      Column that the formula is in, including the current cell.

[RnCn:RnCn]              Range of all cells between the two cell references.

Bookmarkname [RnCn]      Cell in table identified by bookmarkname.

Bookmarkname [RnCn:RnCn] Range of cells identified by                             bookmarkname.

FUNCTIONS
Functions with can take any number of arguments. If the arguments have more than two digits, you must put a space in front of each.

There are five Boolean functions, which return a value of 1 (true) or 0 (false): NOT, OR, AND, FALSE, TRUE.

The following list provides information about the available functions for use in Word:

Note: the AVERAGE, MAX, MIN, COUNT, PRODUCT, SUM functions can refer to cells in a table.    ABS(x)      Returns the absolute value of a number. The absolute value of a number is the number without its sign.

{=ABS(3.5)} = 3.5 {=ABS(-3.5)} = 3.5

AND(x,y)   Returns "1" if both arguments are true. Returns "0" if              both arguments are false. Mostly used with IF              statements.

{=AND(profits>1000, profits<2000)} = 1 when "profits" has been defined as $1,234. The same formula returns 0 when profits has been defined as $2,234.

{=IF(AND(profits>1000,profits<2000),13,15)} = 13 when profits has been defined as $1,234. The same formula returns "15" when profits has been defined as $2,234.

AVERAGE  Gives the average value of the numbers in the list.

{=AVERAGE(10, 20, 60)} = 30 {=AVERAGE([RnCn],[RnCn])}

COUNT    Tells you how many items are in the list.

{=COUNT(2, 5, 67, 1.38)} = 4 {=COUNT([RnCn],[RnCn],[RnCn],[RnCn])}

DEFINED(x) Returns "1" (true) if x has been defined, "0" (false) if it has not.

{=DEFINED(4/0)} = 0 {=DEFINED(gross_income)} = 1 if gross_income exists and it evaluates without error.

FALSE      Returns a 1 if true or a 0 if true.

{=FALSE} = 0 {=IF(5=6,TRUE,FALSE)} = 0   IF(x,y,z)   The result y if the conditional expression x is true, or the result z if the conditional expression is false. Note that y              and z is usually 1 and can be either any numberic value or               the words "true" or "false".

INT(x)     Rounds x down to the nearest integer.

{=INT(5.67)} = 5

MAX      Returns the largest value in the list.

{=MAX(3, 4, 5)} = 5 {=MAX([RnCn],[RnCn],[RnCn])}

MIN      Returns the smallest value in the list.

{=MIN(3, 4, 5)} = 3 {=MIN([RnCn],[RnCn],[RnCn])}

MOD(x,y)   Returns the remainder (modulus) after x is divided by y. The result has the same sign as x. If the answer is 0, returns "0.0" (without quotation             marks).

{=MOD(4, 2)} = 0.0 {=MOD(3, 2)} = 1 {=MOD(-3, 2)} = -1 {=MOD(3, -2)} = 1 {=MOD(-3, -2)} = -1 {=MOD(3.5, 2.7)} = 0.8

NOT(x)     Returns the Boolean opposite of the result. Mostly used with IF formulas.

{=NOT(1=1)} = 0 {=NOT(1=5)} = 1 If x is defined as 7, 7{=NOT(x>10)} = 1

OR(x,y)    Returns "1" if one or both arguments are true. Returns "0" if both arguments are false. Generally used with IF              formulas.

{=OR(1+2=3, 2=4)} = 1 {=OR(1+5=3, 2=4)} = 0

PRODUCT  Multiplies all the items in the list.

{=PRODUCT(5,4,3)} = 60 {=PRODUCT(5,4,3,(1/2))} = 30 {=PRODUCT([RnCn],[RnCn],[RnCn])}

ROUND(x,y) Rounds x to y digits. If y is greater than 0, then x is              rounded down to y decimal places.

If y is 0, x is rounded down to the nearest integer.

If y is a negative number, x is rounded down to the left of the decimal point.

{=ROUND(x,y)} {=ROUND(123.456, 2)} = 123.46 {=ROUND(123.456, 1)} = 123.5 {=ROUND(123.456, 0)} = 123 {=ROUND(123.456, -0)} = 123 {=ROUND(123.456, -1)} = 120 {=ROUND(123.456, -2)} = 100 {=ROUND(156.789, -2)} = 200

y is zero. Rounds x to the nearest integer. {=ROUND(123.456, 0)} = 123

y is positive. Rounds to y decimal places. {=ROUND(123.456, 2)} = 123.46 {=ROUND(123.456, 1)} = 123.5

y is negative. Rounds x to that number of places to the left of the decimal. Y must not be greater than 1 minus the number of digits in x. "-1" rounds to the nearest tens place, "-2" rounds to the nearest hundreds place, "-3" rounds to the nearest thousands place.

{=ROUND(123.456, -0)} = 123 {=ROUND(123.456, -1)} = 120 {=ROUND(123.456, -2)} = 100 {=ROUND(156.789, -2)} = 200

SIGN(x)    Determines whether a number is positive (returns 1) or               negative (returns -1) or zero (returns 0). Mostly used with the IF field.

{=SIGN(-25)} = -1 {=SIGN(0)} = 0 {=SIGN(456)} = 1

SUM      Adds the numbers in the list.

{=SUM(5, 13, 2, 4, 6)} = 30 {=SUM(5, 13, -2, 4, -6)} = 14 {=SUM([RnCn],[RnCn],[RnCn])}

TRUE       Returns a 1 if true or a 0 if false.

{=TRUE} = 1 In Word 97 for Windows and Word 98 Macintosh Edition, for more information about formulas, click the Office Assistant, type formula, click Search, and then click "Field codes: (Formula) field".

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Word Help is not installed on your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

120802 Office: How to Add/Remove a Single Office Program or Component

