Excel - SWITCH versus CHOOOSE Function In Excel - Episode 1965

Microsoft Excel Tutorial: New SWITCH function in Excel.

Welcome back to the MrExcel netcast, where we bring you the latest tips and tricks for mastering Excel. In this episode, we will be discussing the SWITCH function, the fourth new function introduced in the February 2016 release of Office 365. I'm your host, Bill Jelen, and I'm excited to show you how this function can make your life easier when working with data in Excel.

So, what exactly is the SWITCH function? Well, it allows you to specify multiple conditions and their corresponding results in a single formula. This eliminates the need for nested IF statements or the CHOOSE function, making your formulas more efficient and easier to read. In this video, we will walk you through how to use the SWITCH function and its various arguments.

First, we will start with a simple example where we have a value of 2 and we want to return a corresponding day of the week. We will use the SWITCH function to specify the value and its corresponding result, and then add a final argument for what to do if no match is found. This last argument is important to include, as it will prevent any #N/A errors from appearing in your formula.

But what makes SWITCH even better than CHOOSE? Well, with SWITCH, you don't have to specify all the values in between. You can simply specify the values you want to return and let the function handle the rest. This can be especially useful when working with large datasets or when you don't know all the possible values that may appear in your data.

However, it's important to note that the SWITCH function is only available in the latest version of Office 365, Excel online, or mobile versions of Excel. If you have Excel for Business, you may need to be in the First Release program to access this function. But don't worry, it will eventually be available to all users in future releases.

So, if you're ready to take your Excel skills to the next level, join me in this episode as we dive into the world of the SWITCH function. And don't forget to subscribe to our channel for more Excel tips and tricks. Thanks for watching and we'll see you in the next netcast from MrExcel!

Table of Contents:
(00:00) SWITCH Function debuts in Excel
(00:25) Pairs of Arguments
(00:45) Include a "no match" argument.
(01:05) Advantages of SWITCH over CHOOSE function.
(01:36) Availability of SWITCH function in Office 365 and Excel online.
(02:04) Clicking Like really helps the algorithm

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The February 2016 release of Office 365 introduces four new functions. This video deals with the new SWITCH function.

[AnandaSim]

Can the arguments be stored in a 2 column cell array? Make it a CSE?

[jamierogers]

I can't immediately think why I would use hard coded parameters in the SWITCH function when VLOOKUP (using IFERROR to capture #N/A) works and looks more flexible.

[ftlPhysicsGuy]

You might want to mention that this function is not available for Office 365 on the Mac.

To Mac users who would find this function useful: please let MS know through the feedback mechanism. In environments where I use the Windows version, I'll be avoiding this and other functions that would cause incompatibility issues with the Mac counterpart.