What does { } mean in excel formulas?

[lel999]

What does { } mean in excel formulas?

 

[GS]

What does { } mean in excel formulas?

Means it's an array formula entered by holding down Ctrl+Sheift while
pressing Enter.

--
Garry

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[joeu2004]

What does { } mean in excel formulas?

They are called curly braces.

And there meaning depends on where you see them.

If you see them in a context like OR(A1={1,2,3}), the curly braces delimit
an array of constants.

If you see them in the Formula Bar in a context like
{=AVERAGE(IF(A1:A100<>0,A1:A100))}, the curly braces denote an array-entered
formula. That is, a formula that was entered by press ctrl+shift+Enter
instead of just Enter.

Unlike array constants, we cannot type the curly braces around an
array-entered formula. Excel simply displays them to let us know the
formula was array-entered.

Note that I say "array-entered", not "array formula". The latter term is
ambiguous and debatable.

For example, some people call =SUMPRODUCT(A1:A100,B1:B100) an "array
formula". And some people reserve the term "array formula" to denote a
multi-cell array-entered formula like =LINEST(Y1:Y100,X1:X100), in contrast
to a single-cell array-entered formula like
=AVERAGE(IF(A1:A100<>0,A1:A100)).

So, to be clear, I use the term "array-entered" if I am referring to a
formula that should entered by pressing ctrl+shift+Enter.

 

[olgaan]

What does { } mean in excel formulas?

Garry and joeu2004, thank you both for your answers!

I have seen the curly braces in the context of a Formula Bar. What I still struggle to understand is what purpose does it serve?

Thanks again!

 

[GS]

Garry and joeu2004, thank you both for your answers!

I have seen the curly braces in the context of a Formula Bar. What I
still struggle to understand is what purpose does it serve?

Thanks again!

Joeu2004 gives a more complete explanation than I gave you as the curly
braces can also be used as he described for the purpose of letting
Excel's calc engine know an array ref is being used. Excel's calc
engine handles arrays differently than it handles ranges, so it can
correctly return the expected results.

--
Garry

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