Are you tired of struggling with appending ranges horizontally in Google Sheets? Look no further! The HSTACK function is here to save the day. In this article, we’ll explore how to use the HSTACK function to effortlessly combine ranges in a single array. Say goodbye to the limitations of Curly Braces and embrace the power of HSTACK.
The Power of HSTACK Function
The HSTACK function allows you to append arrays of any size horizontally, unlike the Curly Braces method. With Curly Braces, all the ranges must have an equal number of rows. But with HSTACK, you have the freedom to combine arrays without worrying about matching columns and rows.
Let’s take a closer look at the syntax and real-life examples of the HSTACK function.
Syntax of the HSTACK Function
The syntax of the HSTACK function is as follows:
HSTACK(range1, [range2, ...])
range1: The first array or range to append.range2, ...: Additional arrays or ranges (optional) to add to the previous range.
Example: Appending Tables Horizontally
Suppose you have three tables and want to merge them horizontally into a single array. The table ranges are A3:D4, A6:C8, and A9:D10. By using the HSTACK formula, you can achieve this effortlessly.
=hstack(A3:D4, A6:C8, A10:D11)As a result, the single appended array will appear in the range A13:K15. Check out the following example to see the magic in action:
You may notice a few #N/A values in the result. Don’t worry; it’s because the number of rows and columns in each table is different. However, the HSTACK function can handle this seamlessly. The output will have the number of rows matching the maximum number of rows in the appended ranges, while the extra cells will contain #N/A values.
To remove these #N/A values, you can simply wrap the formula with an IFERROR function:
=iferror(hstack(A3:D4, A6:C8, A10:D11))HSTACK with SUMIF Function: A Real-Life Use Case
Now that you’re familiar with the HSTACK function, let’s explore a practical application. Imagine you have a product list in column A and their quantities in column B. How can you generate a summary table? While a QUERY formula can certainly do the job, let’s try an alternative approach using HSTACK and SUMIF.
=hstack(tocol(unique(A2:A), 3), index(sumif(A2:A, tocol(unique(A2:A), 3), B2:B)))Check out the output of this formula:
Here’s how it works:
range1:tocol(unique(A2:A), 3)returns the unique items from column A without any blanks.range2:index(sumif(A2:A, tocol(unique(A2:A), 3), B2:B))returns the summary of the unique items.
By utilizing the HSTACK function with SUMIF, you can quickly generate a summary table based on the unique items in your product list.
I hope these examples have shed light on the incredible capabilities of the HSTACK function in Google Sheets. With HSTACK, you can effortlessly append ranges horizontally and save valuable time. Start using HSTACK today and experience the convenience it offers. For more Google Sheets tips and tricks, visit Crawlan.com, your go-to resource for all things related to Google Sheets.
