A practical guide to dynamic array functions in Microsoft Excel
By
Tony Phillips
Baker's choice. Dense with flavour, light on filler.
Summary
This article provides a comprehensive guide on using dynamic array functions in Microsoft Excel, including FILTER, SORTBY, UNIQUE, XLOOKUP, and VSTACK. It explains how these functions transform static spreadsheets into real-time, interactive data systems by automatically spilling results across multiple cells. The guide covers practical use cases, syntax, and combinations of these functions to build dynamic dashboards and reporting tools without manual intervention.
Key quotes
· 5 pulledDynamic array functions fundamentally change how Excel formulas work, allowing a single formula to return multiple values that automatically spill into adjacent cells.
With FILTER, you can extract exactly the data you need based on conditions, and the results update automatically when your source data changes.
Combining UNIQUE with SORTBY creates a powerful one-two punch for generating sorted lists of distinct values without any manual effort.
XLOOKUP is the modern replacement for VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP, offering more flexibility and fewer limitations.
VSTACK allows you to vertically combine multiple ranges into a single dynamic array, perfect for consolidating data from different sheets.
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