Excel Battle: CHOOSE vs SWITCH

Which Microsoft Excel function is better, CHOOSE or SWITCH? In this video, we'll put these two functions into a 3 round main event. We will examine these key differences:
1 - Arguments and syntax
2 - Index numbers vs text values
3 - Default value


Chapters in this video:
00:00 - Introduction
00:16 - Main Event
00:33 - Round 1
03:22 - Round 2
07:15 - Round 3

[BrendanCosgroveHere]

Never used either of them before! I'm going with SWITCH next time!

[kevinmahernz]

Thank you for this, I wasn't familiar with either function but will give switch a go

[lindaflorence]

Love, love, love Excel University training! Was unfamiliar with both Choose and Switch but now have those tools loaded in my arsenal. Thanks, Jeff!

[IssueBoyStefan]

Switch of course, most of the time combining it with True() as a first argument. ;)

[gandhisunil]

It is based on situation we have, sometimes we prefer choose, other times switch

[SteveHonakerII]

I have a particularly long statement in some complex sheets. Adding additional arguments has become quite difficult. I'm going to rewrite this to a switch. Solely for the sake of readability and expandability. I prefer to have a deep knowledge of a few functions to accomplish as much as I can. My new primary arsenal will now be: FILTER, LET, SWITCH, SEARCH, LEFT, RIGHT, CONCAT, IF

[mcguiganmike]

Switch it is! So glad I watched this video - nested IF statements are hell. Thanks!!!

[EricHartwigExcelConsulting]

Really great example of both functions and how they can be used in different ways!

[tobylmiller]

Great example of both, but I would default to Switch!

[ashleymoore]

Definitely will use SWITCH. Very much like the VBA function “Select Case”.

[micheltw]

With switch can you define array of multiple choice with curly brackets?

[meniporat]

2 comments if I may:
1. you can "overcome" the #VALUE! error in the CHOOSE formula, if you wrap it with an IFERROR
2. Two additional advantages of SWITCH over CHOOSE
1) CHOOSE can accept only positive integers whereas SWITCH can accept any integer (positive, negative, zero)
2) SWITCH can accept a decimal number whereas CHOOSE rounds the number down.

[Mishkafofer]

XL file download don't work. Excellent video.

[stevejez]

Another excellent video, thank you Jeff.
I wonder who thought SWITCH was an appropriate name for this functionality. Surely it should be CHOOSES as in IF & IFS