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yoyoindigo's avatar
yoyoindigo
Copper Contributor
Dec 03, 2023

starting the formula with @

I am an old Mac Excel user and have always started my formulas with @ instead of the = sign. example @sum(... etc.    Obviously, in the cell block, the @ sign is automatically converted to the = sign...
excel
Excel on Mac
Formulas and Functions
NikolinoDE's avatar
NikolinoDE
Platinum Contributor
Dec 03, 2023

yoyoindigo 

Excel formulas traditionally start with the equal sign (=), and this is the standard syntax across various platforms, including Excel for Mac. The use of the at sign (@) as the formula initiator is not a standard or officially supported feature in Excel. To my limited knowledge, you cannot start a formula with the @ symbol.

 

If you were able to use the @ sign to start formulas in the past on Excel for Mac, it might have been due to specific settings, configurations, or perhaps a third-party add-in or customization that allowed for such behavior. However, this is not part of the default behavior in standard Excel installations.

Even for Google Sheets, the standard formula syntax also uses the equal sign (=). Google Sheets does not support the @ sign as a formula initiator in the same way you described for Excel.

 

If you have a specific memory of this behavior in the past, it is possible that it was related to a specific setting, customization, or tool that was present in your previous Excel environment. If you are currently experiencing difficulties or if there have been recent changes, it's recommended to check for any release notes, documentation, or support resources related to the specific version of Excel for Mac you are using.

 

The only thing that might be possible is to do it with VBA code.

Here is an example:

  1. Open the Excel workbook.
  2. Press Alt + F11 to open the VBA editor.
  3. Insert a new module by right-clicking on any item in the project explorer (on the left) and selecting "Insert" -> "Module."
  4. In the module, enter the following VBA code:

Vba Code:

Function @Sum(ParamArray values() As Variant) As Double
    @Sum = WorksheetFunction.Sum(values)
End Function

5. Close the VBA editor by clicking the "X" button or pressing Alt + Q.

Now, you can use this custom function in your worksheet. For example, in a cell, you can enter =@Sum(A1:A10).

Please note that this is just a basic example, and it involves creating custom VBA functions for each specific formula you want to use with the "@" sign. This is not changing the default behavior of Excel but rather creating custom functions.

Excel for Mac might have some limitations or differences compared to the Windows version, so it's always a good idea to test and ensure compatibility with your specific version of Excel for Mac.

Also, keep in mind that sharing workbooks with custom VBA functions may require others to enable macros in their Excel settings.

Always be cautious when using or sharing workbooks with custom VBA code, and make sure that users are aware of the potential security implications of enabling macros. The text and steps were edited with the help of AI.

 

My answers are voluntary and without guarantee!

 

Hope this will help you.

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