How to Add Custom Function in Google Sheets
Google Sheets is a powerful tool for data analysis and manipulation, offering a wide range of built-in functions to help users perform complex calculations and tasks. However, there may be instances where the built-in functions are not sufficient to meet your specific needs. In such cases, adding custom functions to Google Sheets can be a game-changer. In this article, we will guide you through the process of how to add custom functions in Google Sheets, so you can take your data analysis to the next level.
Step 1: Open Google Sheets
First, open Google Sheets and create a new spreadsheet or open an existing one where you want to add the custom function.
Step 2: Open the Developer menu
1. Click on the three horizontal lines in the top left corner of the Google Sheets interface to open the menu.
2. Select ‘Extensions’ from the menu.
3. Click on ‘Apps Script’ to open the Google Apps Script editor.
Step 3: Create a new function
1. In the Apps Script editor, you will see a blank script. To create a new custom function, start by defining the function name, followed by parentheses. For example, let’s create a function named ‘add_numbers’ that takes two numbers as arguments.
2. Write the function code inside the ‘function’ keyword. In this example, we want to add the two numbers passed as arguments. Here’s the code:
“`javascript
function add_numbers(a, b) {
return a + b;
}
“`
Step 4: Save the function
1. Click on the ‘File’ menu at the top left corner of the Apps Script editor.
2. Select ‘Save’ to save the function with a name. Make sure to choose a descriptive name that reflects the function’s purpose.
Step 5: Return to Google Sheets
1. Click on the ‘File’ menu again in the Apps Script editor.
2. Select ‘Close and Return to Google Sheets’ to return to your Google Sheets spreadsheet.
Step 6: Use the custom function in Google Sheets
1. In your Google Sheets spreadsheet, type the function name followed by parentheses and the arguments you want to pass. For example, to use our ‘add_numbers’ function, type the following in a cell:
“`
=add_numbers(5, 3)
“`
2. Press Enter, and the custom function will be calculated based on the arguments provided. In this case, the result will be 8.
By following these simple steps, you can add custom functions to Google Sheets and extend the capabilities of the platform to suit your specific needs. Happy data analyzing!
