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CHOOSECOLS and CHOOSEROWS functions in Excel 365 — showing a 4-column source table where CHOOSECOLS(A2:D20, 1, 3) extracts only the Name and Score columns, with key formula examples for reversing columns, selecting by header name with MATCH, a dynamic dropdown column picker, and removing a column using SEQUENCE and FILTER.

CHOOSECOLS & CHOOSEROWS: Extract Specific Columns/Rows from Arrays

INDEX retrieves values from a table by row and column number. CHOOSECOLS and CHOOSEROWS do the same for entire columns and rows — and they do it in a single readable call. Pass the array and a list of column or row numbers, and the function returns exactly those columns or rows in the order you specify. Negative numbers count from the end, so you never need to know the total width. This guide covers eight examples: selecting named columns by position, reversing and duplicating columns, CHOOSECOLS on FILTER output, a dynamic column picker driven by a dropdown, CHOOSEROWS for specific and alternating rows, combining both functions for rectangular sub-table extraction, removing a column with SEQUENCE+FILTER, and selecting columns by header name using MATCH for reorder-proof formulas.

TAKE and DROP functions in Excel — a 9-row array shown alongside four sliced results: TAKE(A,3) highlighting the top 3 rows in green, TAKE(A,-3) highlighting the bottom 3 in violet, DROP(A,1) removing the first row in blue, and DROP(A,-1) removing the last row in amber, with key pipeline and pagination formulas.

TAKE and DROP Functions in Excel: Slice Arrays and Ranges Like a Pro

FILTER returns everything that matches. SORT returns everything reordered. But sometimes you only want the first five rows, or everything except the last three, or a specific middle segment. TAKE and DROP fill this gap in Excel 365. TAKE keeps a specified number of rows or columns from either end of an array. DROP removes a specified number and returns the rest. Negative numbers work from the bottom, so you never need to know the total row count. This guide covers six practical examples: first and last N rows with positive and negative arguments, stripping header and footer rows with DROP, extracting a middle slice by chaining DROP and TAKE, two-dimensional slicing with both rows and columns arguments, a SORT+FILTER+TAKE pipeline for a self-updating top-5 leaderboard, and in-worksheet pagination where a page number cell controls which block of rows is displayed. It also covers the pre-TAKE workarounds using INDEX and SEQUENCE, so you can understand what these two functions replace and choose the right approach for your Excel version.

Project Risk Tracking

Project Stakeholder Analysis

Project Status Reporting

Project Timeline Monitoring

Monitor project timelines with a two‑level task hierarchy (phases and subtasks). Enter start dates and durations; the template calculates end dates and highlights overdue items in red. A Gantt‑style conditional formatting bar shows progress visually. Use the built‑in “at‑risk” flag to tag tasks that might slip. This is ideal for project coordinators who need an early warning system before small delays cascade into missed milestones.

Project Timesheet

Track team hours accurately with this daily timesheet template. Workers enter start time, end time, and break duration; regular hours calculate automatically. Separate columns capture overtime, sick leave, vacation, and holiday hours. A weekly summary shows total billable vs. non‑billable time. Perfect for small agencies, contractors, or internal project teams that need to track effort for payroll, client billing, or capacity planning.

Project To-Do List

Transform a personal to‑do list into a team delivery plan. This clean, color‑coded task tracker includes columns for status (Not Started/In Progress/Done), priority, due date, assignee, and deliverable reference. Auto‑counting shows how many tasks are open per person. Use it for daily standups or weekly planning meetings. Unlike generic to‑do apps, this Excel template ties every task to a project phase and owner – simple, visual, and effective.

Project Tracking

Manage multiple projects from one Excel workbook. This portfolio‑level tracker lists each project, its tasks, percentage completion, actual vs. planned costs, hours spent, and RAG status (Red/Amber/Green). Conditional formatting highlights at‑risk projects instantly. Sort by sponsor, due date, or priority. Ideal for PMOs, program managers, or consultants juggling several client engagements who need a consolidated view without expensive portfolio software.

Simple Issue Tracking

Never lose track of another project issue. This lightweight tracker logs each issue with a sequential ID, description, reporter, assignee, priority, status (Open/In Progress/Resolved/Closed), and resolution date. Auto‑calculated aging tells you how long an issue has been open. Filter by assignee or priority to focus on what matters most. It’s a no‑overhead solution for teams that need issue accountability without learning a dedicated bug tracker.

Work Breakdown Structure

Decompose large projects into manageable, hierarchical tasks. This WBS template numbers each item automatically (1.0, 1.1, 1.1.1) and includes columns for dependencies, resources, estimated hours, and costs. A bonus visual WBS tree diagram builds itself from your data – perfect for presentations to leadership. Use it to ensure nothing is missed, assign clear ownership, and create a foundation for scheduling and budgeting.

Project Risk Management

Log up to 25 risks with description, probability, impact, mitigation plan, and owner. The template automatically generates summary tables showing risk counts by status (Open/Mitigated/Closed) and priority (High/Medium/Low). A heat‑map style visual helps you focus on critical risks first. This is not just a risk log – it’s a proactive management tool that keeps your team from being surprised by preventable problems.