Free tool
Excel Formula Generator & Explainer
Describe what you need to get a formula, or paste a formula to have it explained.
About this tool
Two tools in one. Describe the calculation you want — "sum column C where column A is this month and column B says paid" — and get a working Excel formula with an explanation of each part. Or paste a formula someone else wrote and have it broken down piece by piece. It also works for Google Sheets, since the function syntax is largely shared.
How to use the Excel Formula Generator & Explainer
- Pick Generate to go from description to formula, or Explain to go the other way.
- Describe your data layout, including which columns hold what.
- Submit and read the formula together with the explanation of each part.
- Copy the formula and paste it into Excel, adjusting the cell ranges to match your sheet.
- Always check the result against a few rows you can verify by hand.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this free?
- Yes. There is a fair-use limit per visitor so the tool stays available to everyone.
- Does it work with Google Sheets?
- Mostly. Core functions such as SUMIFS, XLOOKUP, INDEX/MATCH and TEXTJOIN behave the same way; a few Excel-only functions have Sheets equivalents.
- Is my data sent anywhere?
- Only the text you type is sent to the language model that writes the formula. Do not paste confidential data — describe the layout instead of pasting real records.
- Which Excel version do I need?
- The tool tells you when a formula relies on a newer function such as XLOOKUP or LET, which need Office 2021 or later.