Blog — formulas, guides & tutorials
Tutorials, guides, and deep dives on Excel, Google Sheets, SQL, and regex. Written to help you ship faster.
XLOOKUP vs VLOOKUP
VLOOKUP has been Excel's workhorse for decades. XLOOKUP is its modern replacement. Here's when to use each — and why it matters.
INDEX MATCH guide
INDEX MATCH is more flexible than VLOOKUP and works in every Excel version. Here's how to master it.
Top Excel formulas for finance
From basic SUMIFs to advanced financial modeling functions. The formulas that analysts actually use every day.
Google Sheets vs Excel
They're both spreadsheets. They're not the same tool. Here's how to choose the right one for your workflow.
Google Sheets QUERY function
QUERY is the most powerful function in Google Sheets. It uses SQL-like syntax to filter, sort, group, and transform your data.
Google Sheets IMPORTRANGE
Pull live data between spreadsheets with IMPORTRANGE. Combined with QUERY, it's the closest thing to a database in Google Sheets.
SQL JOINs explained
INNER, LEFT, RIGHT, FULL OUTER — every JOIN type with clear examples and when to use each one.
SQL window functions
Window functions let you calculate across related rows without collapsing them. Essential for rankings, running totals, and comparisons.
Regex cheat sheet
Forget memorizing regex syntax. Here are the 15 patterns that cover 90% of real-world text extraction and validation.
AI formula generators compared
Compare vendor-listed features, pricing and formula workflows before choosing a tool.
FormulaBot vs Formula Genius
Both turn plain English into spreadsheet formulas. The difference is what happens after the AI generates the answer.
Why free AI formula tools give you wrong answers
The formula looks right. It compiles. It returns a number. And it's completely wrong. Here's why that keeps happening: and how to stop it.
FormulaBot alternatives in 2026
Compare spreadsheet tools by their documented features, platform support and plans.
GPTExcel vs Formula Genius
GPTExcel reports 1.6M+ users and offers workbook error checks. Formula Genius offers sample-case checks on supported formulas.
I tested 7 AI formula tools. Here's what broke.
Real formulas. Real spreadsheets. Real broken outputs. An honest benchmark of every major AI Excel tool — including the one I built.
Formula accuracy index: how we test AI formula tools
The prompts, the pass and fail rules, and the failure modes to look for. Rankings return once the test is rerun with raw results.
Ajelix vs Formula Genius
Ajelix offers Lite, Pro and Max plans per user. Compare the tools and allowances with Formula Genius Pro at $12/month.
XLOOKUP search mode -1
If you need the most recent match instead of the first one, XLOOKUP's search_mode argument is the cleanest solution. Here's how it works and where people still get it wrong.
Using ChatGPT for Excel formulas: what it gets right and wrong
ChatGPT offers general chat and an Excel and Google Sheets sidebar. Check generated formulas against expected results in your workbook.
Best AI SQL query generators
If you need to generate SQL from plain English, the best tool depends on whether you need quick syntax, dialect support, spreadsheet workflows, or safer explanations.
The Formula Genius blog covers tutorials, how-to guides, and best practices for Excel, Google Sheets, SQL, and regex. Every technique is explained with real-world examples you can use right away.
Need a specific formula?
Describe what you need in plain English. Formula Genius generates and explains a formula draft, with checks for supported formulas.