How to Use Excel Formulas Without Excel
Fix a broken VLOOKUP or update a SUMIFS on a computer with no Office. Here's which formulas work in FileHop, and which don't.
Quick Answer
- ✓Formulas recalculate in FileHop. About 300 functions across 10 families work, with no Excel installed.
- ✓Lookups and conditional sums are covered: VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, XLOOKUP, XMATCH, SUMIFS, COUNTIFS, AVERAGEIFS and SUMPRODUCT.
- ✓Dynamic arrays aren't. FILTER, SORT, UNIQUE, SEQUENCE, LET and LAMBDA are unsupported.
Why formulas break when you leave Excel
Most viewers show the last value Excel saved. They display the number, but change an input and nothing updates. To fix a formula, you need a tool with a real calculation engine.
FileHop has its own engine. Change a cell and the formulas that depend on it recalculate, including references across sheets, named ranges and table references. If you type a broken formula, a dialog points to the syntax error.
How to edit a formula in FileHop
You can do this on any Mac or Windows computer, offline.
Open the workbook
Open the .xlsx or .xlsm from FileHop's file browser.
Select the cell
The formula appears in the formula bar. Use the Name Box to jump to a cell reference.
Edit or insert a function
Type directly, or use fx to browse functions by family.
Check, then save
Select a range to see Sum, Average and Count in the status bar, then save. Saving clears undo history.
Function families: Math & Trig, Statistical, Logical, Text, Date & Time, Lookup & Reference, Information, Engineering, Financial and Database.
Common formula jobs
These everyday functions work the way they do in Excel.
Lookups
VLOOKUP, HLOOKUP, XLOOKUP and XMATCH find values across a table or another sheet.
What isn't supported
FILTER, SORT, UNIQUE, SEQUENCE, LET, LAMBDA, TEXTSPLIT, WORKDAY, NETWORKDAYS, XIRR, XNPV, AGGREGATE and RAND. If your workbook relies on them, use Excel or LibreOffice.
Conditional sums and finance
SUMIFS, COUNTIFS and AVERAGEIFS handle conditions, and IRR, NPV and PMT cover basic finance.
Formula work, compared
How FileHop compares with a plain file viewer.
| What matters | File viewer | FileHop |
|---|---|---|
| Recalculates on edit | No | Yes |
| Formula bar | Varies | Yes |
| Cross-sheet references | Displayed only | Yes |
| Dynamic arrays | No | No |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use VLOOKUP without Excel?
Yes. VLOOKUP works in FileHop, along with HLOOKUP and XLOOKUP.
Does XLOOKUP work?
Yes.
Can I use SUMIFS or COUNTIFS?
Yes, along with AVERAGEIFS and SUMPRODUCT.
Are FILTER and UNIQUE supported?
No. Dynamic array functions aren't supported.
Do formulas that reference other sheets work?
Yes. Cross-sheet references recalculate, and so do named ranges.
Why does a cell show an error?
The usual causes are a missing reference, or a function FileHop doesn't support. Try opening the workbook in Excel or LibreOffice if you depend on one.
Will my formulas still work in Excel?
Yes. Formulas stay in the .xlsx as formulas.
Is there a function list in the app?
Yes. The Insert Function dialog lists them by family.
Fix your formula without Office
Edit and recalculate spreadsheets on Mac and Windows, offline.
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