Operators

Overview

Operators are the basic building blocks used in formulas to combine values, compare results, and create conditions. They are used directly in formulas, and often inside functions such as IF(...).

Use this section to understand operator behavior and navigate to the relevant reference page.

Start here if…

• You want to calculate numeric results → start with Arithmetic operators

• You want to build a condition → start with Comparisons & boolean operators

• You’re writing conditions for IF(...) → also see Logical functions in the function categories

Quick rules

• Use parentheses to make intent explicit.

• Without parentheses, * and / are evaluated before + and -.

• Functions evaluate inside out.

• Shape rule of thumb: + and − align to shared dimensions, while * and / apply across the combined dimension set.

Related sections

• Formula basics: parentheses, evaluation order, notation

• Function catalog: functions used together with operators

• Troubleshooting guide: common pitfalls with comparisons and missing values