TOP EXCEL FORMULAS FOR HR

Date & time calculations Performance, reporting & analysis

Used for tenure tracking, due dates, or measuring durations. Used to summarize, rank, or visually interpret data.
=RANK.EQ(D2,D2:D8,0)
NETWORKDAYS COUNTIF RANK.EQ
=COUNTIF(D1:D9, "Hired")
=NETWORKDAYS(D2, E2)

Calculates working days between two dates. Counts how many Ranks values within
Measure time to hire or duration
employees or a list.
Sample use case: between different interview stages. candidates meet a
condition or multiple Sample use case:
conditions. Rank employees by performance scores or training
DATEDIF =DATEDIF(C2,D2,"y")
Sample use case: assessment results.

Calculates days/months/years between two Track how many candidates progressed to "Hired"
dates. status. AVERAGEIFS
Determine tenure/years Calculates average by department or other
Sample use case: of service. SUBTOTAL conditions.
=TODAY() - D2 Performs calculations (like SUM, AVERAGE, Sample use case:
TODAY() COUNT) on filtered data. Benchmark average salaries by team or level.
Returns the current date. Sample use case: =AVERAGEIFS(D1:D8,C1:C8,"HR")

Calculate dynamic values like tenure, days

Calculate totals or averages in filtered lists, like a
Sample use case: since training, or to flag expired documents
particular department only.
based on the current date.
=SUBTOTAL(1,E2:E6) (1 = AVERAGE)

=TEXT(D2, "mmm yyyy")

TEXT
Formats dates or numbers in a specific style.
Format review dates as "Mar 2025"
SPARKLINE
Sample use case: for easier reporting.
SUMIFS Creates mini charts within a cell to show
trends.
Adds up values that meet one or more
Lookup & reference conditions. Sample use case:

Used to pull in matching data from other sources or tables. Sample use case: =SUMIFS(F1:F8,E1:E8,E2) Visualize engagement scores or training completion
over time.
Calculate total hours
VLOOKUP XLOOKUP spent on a specific
training topic.
Pulls data from another table based More flexible than VLOOKUP, works
on a unique identifier. left-to-right or right-to-left.

Sample use case: Sample use case:

Retrieve names or job titles using employee ID. Retrieve salary or bonus data based on CONDITIONAL FORMATTING
employee ID.
=VLOOKUP(C2,'Employee Data'!A:B,2,FALSE) Highlights cells based on specific criteria.
=XLOOKUP(D2, 'Employee Data'!A:A,'Employee Data'!K:K)

Sample use case: Highlighting employees with tenure over 5 years.

Logic & error handling

Used for flagging, filtering, or protecting data logic.
Text functions & cleanup =IF(D2>5, "Eligible", "Not Yet")

Used to format or clean text fields for reporting or analysis. IF

Checks eligibility or status.
CONCATENATE / CONCAT LEFT / RIGHT Determine if an employee qualifies
Sample use case: for a benefit based on tenure.
Combines multiple text values into Extracts characters from the start or
one. end of a string.
=IFERROR(D2/E2,”Check”)

Sample use case: Sample use case: IFERROR

Combine first and last names for full name Pull department codes from employee IDs like Handles errors in calculations.
display. "HR-102"
Prevents #DIV/0! errors in
=CONCATENATE(C2, " ",D2) =LEFT(B2, 2)
Sample use case: bonus-to-sales ratios.

=IF(ISBLANK(D2), "Yes", "Complete")

ISBLANK
Checks if a cell is empty.
Flag missing feedback or
Sample use case: incomplete onboarding steps.
TEXTJOIN
TRIM
Combines multiple values from a AND / OR
Removes unnecessary spaces from range into one cell.
text.
Evaluates multiple conditions at once.
Sample use case AND:
Sample use case:
Compile interview feedback or survey
Sample use case AND: Sample use case OR:
Clean imported data where names or roles
comments into a single field. Flag employees who meet multiple criteria, like Flag employees who meet one of the criteria,
may include trailing spaces for accurate analysis.
=TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, C2:C5) salary < 60000 and performance score > 85. like says since training > 200 or sales < 50000.
=TRIM(A2)
=IF(AND(D2>85,E2<50000),"Review Salary","OK") =IF(OR(D2>200,E2<50000),"Yes","No")