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In this article
CHOOSE returns the n-th item from a list of values you type in the formula.
Syntax
=CHOOSE(index_num, value1, [value2], ...)| Argument | What it means |
|---|---|
index_num |
1 returns value1, 2 returns value2… |
Examples
Example 1
=CHOOSE(WEEKDAY(A2), "Sun","Mon","Tue","Wed","Thu","Fri","Sat")Day name.
Example 2
=CHOOSE(ROUNDUP(MONTH(A2)/3,0), "Q1","Q2","Q3","Q4")Calendar quarter.
CHOOSE in practice
Where you will use it
- Map quarter numbers to names
- Pick a scenario (best/base/worst) by number
- Weekday number to Indian day names
Worked example
Indian financial-year quarters.
| Quarter no. | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | =CHOOSE(A2,"Apr-Jun","Jul-Sep","Oct-Dec","Jan-Mar") | Apr-Jun |
| 3 | =CHOOSE(A3,"Apr-Jun","Jul-Sep","Oct-Dec","Jan-Mar") | Oct-Dec |
| 4 | =CHOOSE(A4,"Apr-Jun","Jul-Sep","Oct-Dec","Jan-Mar") | Jan-Mar |
Results calculated in Excel.
Mistakes people make
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Index outside the list gives #VALUE! | Validate the input with Data Validation (1-4) |
| Long CHOOSE lists | A small lookup table with XLOOKUP is easier to maintain |
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📎 Practice files for this article
- 📗Practice workbook: Lookup & reference17 tasks on realistic sales data — type your formula, the Check column turns green when it is right. Answers sheet included.⬇ XLSX · 35 KB
Free to use for learning. Files with macros (.bas) are plain text — import them with Alt+F11 → File → Import File, and always test on a copy.
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