xlwings Newsletter #25

The New Excel Lambda Functions

Blog Post

 

What Makes Excel's Lambda Functions so Awesome (and what doesn't)?

In December 2020, Microsoft 

 as a new Excel feature. Lambda functions are an exciting way to define custom functions (a.k.a. user-defined functions) by only relying on Excel formulas, without having to use VBA or writing an add-in. In this blog post, we’re going to see how Lambda Functions work and why they are so awesome. It’s not all roses though: we’ll also look at the current limitations of Lambda Functions and how to solve some of them. Currently, Lambda Functions are only available to Microsoft 365 subscribers on the Beta Channel. To see if you can already use them, start typing 

 in a cell and if Excel suggests the function name, you are all set.

The blog post touches on the following points:

  1. Why Do We Need Lambda Functions?

  2. Create your First Lambda Function!

  3. How Do Lambda Functions Work?

  4. Why are Lambda Functions so Awesome

  5. Limitations with Lambda Functions

  6. Managing Lambda Functions Across Workbooks

  7. Keeping Track of Your Lambda Functions

  8. Conclusion

Alternatively, you can also watch the short video with the blog post's highlights: