COLUMN function
Overview
The COLUMN Function in IronCalc is a lookup & reference formula that is used to query and return the column number of a referenced Column or Cell.
Usage
Syntax
COLUMN(reference) => column
Argument descriptions
Additional guidance
- When referencing a range of cells, only the column number of the left most cell will be returned.
- You are also able to reference complete columns instead of individual cells.
Returned value
COLUMN returns the number of the specific cell or column which is being referenced.
Error conditions
- IronCalc currently does not support the referencing of cells with names.
Details
The COLUMN Function can only be used to display the correlating number of a single column within a Sheet. If you wish to show the number of columns used within a specific range, you can use the COLUMNS Function.
Examples
No Cell Reference
When no cell reference is made, the formula uses =COLUMN(). This will then output the column number of the cell where the formula is placed.
For example, if the formula is placed in cell A1, then "1" will be displayed.
With Cell Reference
When a cell reference is made, the formula uses =COLUMN([Referenced Cell]). This will then output the column number of the referenced cell, regardless of where the formula is placed in the sheet.
For example, if the cell B1 is the referenced cell, "2" will be the output of the formula no matter where it is placed in the sheet.
Note: references do not always have to be specific cells, you can also reference complete columns. For example, =COLUMN(B:B) would also result in an output of "2".
Range References
The COLUMN function can also be used to reference a range of Cells or Columns. In this case only the most left-hand column will be the resulting output.
For example, =COLUMN(A1:J1) will result in the ouput of "1".