Download first → Sample Workbook – Dynamic Arrays Dashboard
TL;DR – Why You Should Care
- Dynamic arrays let one formula fill many cells (no Ctrl-Shift-Enter).
=FILTER()replaces clunky filter buttons.=UNIQUE()auto-de-dupes for data validation lists.=PIVOTBY()create pivot-style summaries in the grid.
Watch Them Spill
Here is a =FILTER() example in action.
And a =UNIQUE() example.
And finally a =PIVOTBY() example.
1 | Dynamic Arrays 101
When a formula returns multiple values in Excel 365+, the extras spill into adjacent cells. Reference the entire range with a hash (B2#). If something blocks the spill, Excel shows #SPILL!—clear the blocker and carry on.
2 | The Core Six Functions
| Function | Why It Rocks | Quick Example |
|---|---|---|
| SEQUENCE | Create running numbers | =SEQUENCE(12) |
| RANDARRAY | Random sampling | =RANDARRAY(5,1,0,1,TRUE) |
| UNIQUE | De-dupe lists | =UNIQUE(SalesData[Customer]) |
| SORT / SORTBY | Alphabetize or custom order | =SORTBY(A2:B10,B2:B10,-1) |
| FILTER | SQL-style WHERE clause | =FILTER(Table1,Table1[Region]="West") |
| XLOOKUP | Spill-friendly lookup | =XLOOKUP(ProductList,PriceTable[Product],PriceTable[Price]) |
3 | 2023-25 Power-Ups
| New Function | Elevator Pitch | Tiny Demo |
|---|---|---|
| TAKE / DROP | Slice rows/cols from top/bottom | =TAKE(A2:F100,-5) |
| CHOOSEROWS / CHOOSECOLS | Select arbitrary rows/cols | =CHOOSECOLS(Data,1,4,7) |
| VSTACK / HSTACK | Append tables | =VSTACK(Jan#,Feb#) |
| EXPAND | Pad spills to fixed size | =EXPAND(B2#,10,5,"") |
| GROUPBY | One-axis summary | =GROUPBY(Table[Date],YEAR(Table[Date]),"Rev",SUM(Table[Revenue])) |
| PIVOTBY | Two-axis pivot | =PIVOTBY(Table[Region],Table[Product],Table[Revenue],SUM) |
4 | Hands-On: Build an Auto-Updating Sales Dashboard
- Current-month orders:
=FILTER(SalesData, MONTH(SalesData[Date]) = MONTH(TODAY())) - Unique customers:
=COUNTA(UNIQUE(FILTER(SalesData[Customer], MONTH(SalesData[Date]) = MONTH(TODAY())))) - Revenue by product:
=PIVOTBY(SalesData[Product],,SalesData[Revenue],SUM) - Top 5 products:
=SORT(TAKE(PIVOTBY(SalesData[Product],,SalesData[Revenue],SUM),,2),2,-1)
5 | Troubleshooting #SPILL! & Co.
- #SPILL! – clear merged cells or data blocking the spill.
- Excel Tables block spills; spill just outside or convert to range.
- Volatile functions (RANDARRAY) recalc constantly—paste values when done sampling.
FAQ
- Do dynamic arrays work in Excel 2016?
- No—only Microsoft 365, Excel 2021/2024 desktop, and Excel for the web support them.
- How do I reference a whole spill?
- Use the hash:
A5#.
- Use the hash:
- Can I turn spill behavior off?
- Wrap your formula with
@or fall back to legacy Ctrl-Shift-Enter.
- Wrap your formula with
Conclusion
Dynamic arrays mean fewer formulas, cleaner sheets, happier analysts. Download the sample workbook, play with the spills, and bookmark this guide.
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