CHOOSE is another function you can add to Excel 2010/13 spreadsheets. It can be a handy function for returning values from a list. It takes an index number that searches for corresponding values in a string or list.

For example, enter four numbers in alternative cells in an Excel column. Then click a cell to add the CHOOSE function to. Click the fx button, beside the formula bar, and select CHOOSE to open window below.

First, enter an index number in Index_number text box. For example, to show the second value from a list in a another cell you should enter 2 in that field. Then select the four number cells you entered into the spreadsheet by pressing the buttons beside the Value1, Value2, Value3 and Value4 text boxes as shown below.

Press the OK button to close window. That will then show you the value from the second cell in your list of four numbers as in the snapshot below. As 67 is the second value in the list that is included in the CHOOSE function cell.

As another example for how you can use this function, enter the number four in a spreadsheet cell. Then open the CHOOSE function window. This time select the cell you entered four in by pressing the button beside the Index_number text box.

Then enter “yellow,” “blue,” “green,” and “gold” in the Value1, Value2, Value3 and Value4 text boxes as above. Click OK to close the window. The CHOOSE function cell will now include gold in it. Thus, it’s showing you the fourth value in the color list as specified by four in the selected cell.

So this can be a handy Excel function. With it you can quickly return values from a list of numbers or text. Open this YouTube page to play a video that shows you how to add the function to spreadsheets.