Lambda function is missing on Excel Insider Beta

Copper Contributor

I am signed up for Beta Channel and have all the other functions. I have been getting the new functions right away as soon as I do the update for years but even though I have the latest version, I still do not have the Lambda function.

Any ideas why?

Thank you.

 

Screenshot 2020-12-05 111823.jpg

18 Replies

@Ers_Siv 

You are not alone.  Frustrating, isn't it!

Perhaps to function is part of a progressive roll-out.

@Ers_Siv 

That's a lottery, first wave covers maximum 50% of insiders. When 100% of insiders nobody knows, it could be couple of weeks, could be couple of months, could be more. If you have right build that only means lambda code is inside your build, but that doesn't mean functionality is switched on. That is specific of subscription model.

Thank you.@Sergei Baklan 

When I read it online, looked like everyone got it but me. :)

Cant wait.

 

Ersin

Though, I have the LAMBDA, you're not the only person that haven't gotten the function yet. Flighting on Beta Channel is usually the first 50% lucky subscribers. It takes some time for it to get to 100% flighting to Beta Channel. Then, it takes another time to light to Current channels etc

In my organization every one has an update and can use lamda function

but only me still waiting

what new installed says about lamda 

however I cannot use it

@Saurabhjain23 

What's New informs about what's new on the channel (beta), not about what's new on your concrete computer. New functionality is always deployed gradually, usually on beta channel first wave covers not more than 50% of insiders. That's only to wait next one, usually few weeks, but nobody knows concrete schedule.

@Ers_SivHello,

I would like to know if you have any update on that because I'm facing the same issue.
If I look at this link it says that the function should be available for every build starting from 

  • Windows: Beta Channel Version 2012 Build 13519.20000 or higher.

https://insider.office.com/en-us/blog/lambda-excel-custom-functions

 

Now if I look at this to understand builds versionning :

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/update-history-beta-channel

Sounds like Version 2101 (Build 13610.20002) is the most recent build there is and it's the one I'm having.
Still I don't have an access to the Lambda function.
Am I missing something ?

@MBourgeois 

If you have proper build that only means the code for the lambda functionality is included in that build. But that doesn't mean this functionality is switched on for you. 

If to simplify that's like with corporate credit card. If you have one that means you have access to some bank account, but that doesn't mean that your employer put money on this account.

@Sergei Baklan Thank you for the quick reply.

Just for the record I'm working as a Freelance, and I would not let myself turn short of money on the bank account associated with my corporate credit card :)

@MBourgeois 

That's easier, but here we don't code lambda functionality for ourselves.

@Sergei BaklanAnd that is my point, if they give you a credit card, what not put the money in it as well. If you wont, dont give the credit card then.

What is the purpose of rolling it out gradually among Beta users. Obviously Beta users wants to try things ahead of time and give you feed back. Why not give them all access at once.

Anyways, MS is dropping the ball on some of it's Excel functionalities lately, bigtime.

@Sergei Baklan 

It is extraordinarily frustrating though.  I wasn't able to recommend dynamic arrays for financial modelling because accumulations and row sums become a mess of MMULTS and SUMIFS if you want to make the entire model dynamic.  I even got as for as proposing a function on UserVoice, which would iterate over selected array variables without involving them in aggregation or pairwise lifting.

Implement a FOR.EACH operator to pipe values from an array into a formula one by one – Welcome to Ex...

 

Now the LAMBDA function appears to do the job with some elegance.  I think I can write a formula for accumulation with variable interest rates and adjustments to impose limits on the balance.  I have examples with multidimensional arrays where the recommended solution is to normalise the data and use SUMIFS.  I think the recursion available from LAMBDA will allow me to work with the more natural 4D array of 'units sold'.  I had set some time aside to refactor the solution workbooks but I am left, knowing the functionality exists on my machine, but I can't access it!

 

For most developments, I am quite content to wait for an incremental rollout but dynamic arrays, LET and now LAMBDA do not fall into that category.  I wish I had a way of overriding the rollout lottery; after all, I would never paid for an Office subscription had it not been for this functionality.

@Peter Bartholomew , I hope I understand your point, but what can we do, that's the model which Microsoft uses. Even being an MVP or participating in other programs, in addition to insiders, in many cases doesn't give the warranty you receive new functionality first. MVP only have information, which is under NDA, some earlier than other users, but receive (or don't receive) new functionality on the same basis as other insiders.

My approach - I have 3 beta installations under the same account on different (includes virtual) machines, at least one of them usually wins the lottery. Or that could be few different MSA accounts using same machine, also could help.

I guess you'd like me to transfer your point to Microsoft - believe me, they know. Perhaps one day that will be improved, but that's not as easy as flick the switch. And that's not Microsoft Excel team responsibility, at least directly.

I am missing Lambda on one laptop and have it on another.  Both PC's look to have the same license info, both up to date on Beta Channel, and have version 2101 (13617.20002 Click-to-Run) Beta Channel.

 

I don't get it!

@RonBayley 

That illustrates what I tried to explain earlier.

I@Sergei Baklan 

Yes now i got it

my first video on same

Using Lambda & Recursive Lambda to create user defined custom function Excel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS8312yLfTE

Examples Covered
1 Square of a number
2 Sum of squares from 1 to N
3 Sum of digits

Discussion Link
https://bi-analytics.org/blogs/entry/54-use-of-lambda-recursive-lambda-to-create-user-defined-custom...

@Saurabhjain23 

Yes, another wave of deployment was started, hope all insiders will have lambdas soon.

By the way, another variant for sum of digits

=LAMBDA(x, SUM(IFERROR(--MID(value,SEQUENCE(LEN(x)),1),0)))