Blog — Formulas, Guides & Tutorials
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.
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
We tested every major AI formula tool. Here's what actually works, what doesn't, and which one is worth paying for.
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.
Best FormulaBot Alternatives in 2026
FormulaBot is one of the most popular AI formula tools — but it's not right for everyone. Here's an honest look at the best alternatives, what they do differently, and who each one is for.
GPTExcel vs Formula Genius
GPTExcel has 1.4 million users. Formula Genius validates every formula it generates. Here's what that difference costs you.
I Tested 7 AI Formula Tools. Here's the One That Actually Validates Its Output.
Real formulas. Real spreadsheets. Real broken outputs. An honest benchmark of every major AI Excel tool — including the one I built.
Ajelix vs Formula Genius
Ajelix charges up to $200/month. Formula Genius Pro is $9/month. Here's what you actually get for the difference.
Using ChatGPT for Excel Formulas: What It Gets Right and Wrong
ChatGPT is free, fast, and surprisingly good at formula explanations. It's also wrong more often than you'd expect — and it won't tell you when.
Need a specific formula?
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