Excel vs Google Sheets formula dialect
Excel vs Google Sheets formulas: XLOOKUP vs FILTER, comma vs semicolon, QUERY, ARRAYFORMULA, and which function names transfer between platforms.
| Job | Excel | Google Sheets |
|---|---|---|
| One lookup result | XLOOKUP or INDEX MATCH | XLOOKUP, or FILTER for every hit |
| Every matching row | FILTER with if_empty | FILTER extra conditions, or QUERY |
| Fill a column | Dynamic array spill | ARRAYFORMULA around ordinary math |
| SQL-like filter | Power Query or FILTER | QUERY |
| Another file | Power Query or linked books | IMPORTRANGE |
| Argument separator | Comma in US English | Comma, unless the sheet locale uses ; |
| Hungarian names | SZUM, HA, FKERES, X.KERES | Same idea if the spreadsheet language is Hungarian |
XLOOKUP vs FILTER
Use Excel XLOOKUP when you want one cell. Use Sheets FILTER when several rows can match. Sheets also has XLOOKUP. Read the full pair list on the Excel vs Google Sheets hub.
Comma vs semicolon
US-English Excel uses =SUM(A1,B1). Hungarian Excel uses =SZUM(A1;B1). Updevly can emit either locale from the generator. Do not mix them in one file.
FAQ
Is XLOOKUP the same in Excel and Sheets?
The idea matches. Sheets users still reach for FILTER when they want every matching row. Excel FILTER uses a single include array and if_empty.
Why do my formulas use semicolons?
Hungarian and many EU Excel locales separate arguments with semicolons. US English uses commas. The function name may also change: SZUM is SUM.
Does Excel have QUERY?
Not as a worksheet function. Use FILTER, SUMIFS, or Power Query. Sheets QUERY is a SQL-like statement against a range.