Today you will

• Try three handy functions: ROUND, TODAY and UPPER.
• Pick the one that helps your budget most.
• Add that function to {{code:05_project_budget}} and type a label beside it.

Warm-up

Where in your budget would a clean euro amount, today's date or tidy product names help a reader?

If you don't have {{code:05_project_budget}} yet, make it now and type in three costs.

A function is a small ready-made formula. You start it with {{code:=}} like any other formula.

• Scratch area: empty cells where you test formulas without touching your real budget.
• ROUND rounds a number, so {{code:=ROUND(B2,2)}} turns €12.678 into €12.68.
• TODAY shows today's date and changes by itself each day.
• UPPER turns text into capitals, so "Matte Black Case" becomes "MATTE BLACK CASE".

Example

Niamh has a phone-case budget. She tested all three, then kept ROUND and TODAY on her budget.

You will build a small Function Lab in empty cells beside your budget. Follow the steps in the box below. Your real budget rows stay the same for now.

Common problems

• You see the formula, not the answer. Make sure it starts with {{code:=}} and has no space before it.
• TODAY shows a number like 46093. Change the cell's number format to Date.
• UPPER shows an error. Point it at a cell that has text in it.
• You typed over an item name. Undo it, then put the capitals in a new Display name column.

Your teacher will show three ways to use a function on a real budget:

1. Today's date: a label with {{code:=TODAY()}} beside it.
2. Rounded total: ROUND pointing at your real total cell. Click the total cell rather than typing a cell name.
3. Display name: a new column with UPPER, so your original names stay the same.

You only need one of these on your own sheet.