Scale It Up with ARRAYFORMULA()

We’ve learned how to use formulas to perform calculations, clean data, count entries, and build complex rules. However, we might have noticed a repetitive step: entering a formula into one cell and then dragging it down to apply it to all the other rows. This “dragging” method is prone to errors, can be slow, and requires manual updates whenever our data changes.

This is where the ARRAYFORMULA() function comes in. It’s a Google Sheets superpower that allows us to take a single formula, and apply it to an entire range of cells simultaneously. This makes our work faster, more efficient, and incredibly dynamic. We write one formula in one cell, and it automatically populates the entire column, scaling the logic and calculations to fit our data perfectly.

Let’s begin and see how we can use this function to scale up our formulas.

The ARRAYFORMULA() function

At its core, ARRAYFORMULA() takes a formula that typically works on a single cell and makes it work on a range of cells (an array). It’s a “wrapper” function, meaning we place another formula inside it. The result is a dynamic column that automatically updates when we add new data.

It takes one parameter, as mentioned below.

• your_range_based_formula: A formula that works with ranges instead of single cells. It can ...