Page 35 - Excel for Scientists and Engineers: Numerical Methods

12 EXCEL: NUMERICAL METHODS

Figure 1-17. The Function Arguments dialog box.

A Shortcut to Enter a Function
You can enter a function without using Insert Function, but still receive the
benefit provided by the Function Arguments screen. This is useful if the
function takes several (perhaps unfamiliar) arguments. Simply type "="
followed by the function name, with or without the opening parenthesis, and then
press CONTROL+A to bypass the Insert Function dialog box and go directly to
the Function Arguments dialog box.
If you press CONTROL+SHIFT+A, you bypass both the Insert Function dialog
box and the Function Arguments. The function will be displayed with its
placeholder argument(s). The first argument is highlighted so that you can enter
a value or reference (Figure 1-1 8).

Figure 1-18. Entering a custom function by using CONTROL+SHIFT+A.

Unfortunately, if you're entering the custom function in a different
workbook than the one that contains the custom function, the function name
must be entered as an external reference (e.g., Bookl.XLS!FtoC). This can make
typing the function rather cumbersome, and it means that you'll probably enter
the function by using Excel's Insert Function. But, see "Creating Add-In
Function Macros" in Chapter 2.