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CHOOSECOLS

Category: MS Excel compatibility function · Native since: Excel 2024

Returns the specified columns from an array.

Syntax

=CHOOSECOLS(array, col_num1, ...)

Arguments

Argument Required Description
array Required the array
col_num1 Required column to return (neg = from end)
... Optional the argument(s) above may be repeated

Returns

Returns an array made of the selected columns; on dynamic-array hosts the result spills. Returns #VALUE! if the array is empty, a column number is 0 or out of range, or no column number is supplied.

Examples

Formula Result Description
=CHOOSECOLS({1,2,3;4,5,6},1,3) {1,3;4,6} Pick columns 1 and 3
=CHOOSECOLS({1,2,3;4,5,6},-1) {3;6} Pick the last column
=CHOOSECOLS({1,2;3,4},5) #VALUE! Column number out of range

Notes

  • Negative column numbers count from the end.
  • Use CHOOSEROWS to select rows.
  • Column numbers also accept arrays such as {1,3} or SEQUENCE(n).
  • Supported: Excel 2010+. Registered as CHOOSECOLS (drop-in) on hosts without the native function, and as EG.CHOOSECOLS on modern Excel that has it.