Major Feature & Engine Updates (2019 → 2025)
| Version / Time-frame | What changed | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Excel 2019 (and earlier) | Many core features, but lacked newer dynamic array engine and many modern functions. GeeksforGeeks+2Microsoft Learn+2 | If you are using Excel 2019 you might miss many of the newer time-savers. |
| Excel 2021 / Microsoft 365 (post-2019) | Introduction of dynamic arrays (spill behavior), new array & lookup functions like FILTER, SORT, SORTBY, UNIQUE, SEQUENCE, XMATCH, LET. Wolf Consulting+1 | These make complex formulas far simpler and faster — vital for advanced reports. |
| Recent updates up to 2025 | AI & productivity features: built-in “Copilot in Excel”, value tokens, smarter formula generation in web version, text/regex functions, many new array/text functions. TECHCOMMUNITY.MICROSOFT.COM+2Exceljet+2 | Staying up-to-date means you can deliver superior Excel solutions (what DRCG stands for). |
Top New Functions & Formulas (since Excel 2019)
Here are some of the most useful new formulas/functions, their syntax and how you can use them — especially helpful for your work at DRCG (Excel reports, dashboards, automation).
| Function | Syntax | Usage Example |
|---|---|---|
| UNIQUE(array) | =UNIQUE(A2:A100) | Get a list of distinct values (e.g., unique product names). Exceljet+1 |
| FILTER(array, include, [if_empty]) | =FILTER(A2:B100, B2:B100>1000, "No Data") | Extract rows where sales > 1,000. |
| SORT(array, [sort_index], [sort_order], [by_col]) | =SORT(A2:A100,1,TRUE) | Sort list ascending. |
| SORTBY(array, by_array, [sort_order]) | =SORTBY(A2:C100, C2:C100, -1) | Sort entire table by column C descending. |
| SEQUENCE(rows, [columns], [start], [step]) | =SEQUENCE(10,1,2025,1) | Generate numbers from 2025 to 2034 (10 rows). |
| RANDARRAY([rows],[columns],[min],[max],[whole_number]) | =RANDARRAY(5,1,100,200,TRUE) | Generate 5 random whole numbers between 100 & 200. |
| XMATCH(lookup_value, lookup_array, [match_mode], [search_mode]) | =XMATCH("ProductX", A2:A100, 0, 1) | Find position of “ProductX” in list. |
| LET(name1, value1, name2, value2, calculation) | =LET(sales, B2:B100, cost, C2:C100, SUM(sales)-SUM(cost)) | Assign names inside formula for readability and reuse. Wolf Consulting |
| TEXTBEFORE(text, delimiter, [instance_num]) | =TEXTBEFORE(A2, ",") | Get text before comma (useful for parsing). TECHCOMMUNITY.MICROSOFT.COM |
| TEXTAFTER(text, delimiter, [instance_num]) | =TEXTAFTER(A2, ",") | Get text after comma. |
| TEXTSPLIT(text, col_delimiter, [row_delimiter]) | =TEXTSPLIT(A2, ",") | Split comma-separated values into multiple cells. |
| REGEXEXTRACT(text, pattern) | =REGEXEXTRACT(A2, "\d{4}") | Extract 4-digit number from text using regex. Exceljet |
| REGEXREPLACE(text, pattern, replacement) | =REGEXREPLACE(A2, "[^0-9]","") | Remove all non-numeric characters. |
| PERCENTILE.EXC(array, k) & PERCENTILE.INC(array, k) | Not brand new but improved support. | Useful for distribution analysis. |
| XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, [if_not_found], [match_mode], [search_mode]) | =XLOOKUP("Key", A2:A100, B2:B100, "Not Found") | More flexible replacement for VLOOKUP/HLOOKUP. |
| LET + LAMBDA (custom functions) | Multiple syntax | Create your own custom functions inside Excel. |
Additional Productivity / Platform Features
Copilot in Excel / AI integration: For example, the June 2025 update includes smarter context for Copilot, formula generation by typing “=” in web version, value tokens showing data type. TECHCOMMUNITY.MICROSOFT.COM
Dynamic arrays & spill behaviour: Sheets automatically expand formula results instead of needing Ctrl+Shift+Enter. Microsoft Learn+1
Better collaboration / web/mobile updates: Excel for Web has more features like export to CSV, live forms sync, new drag-drop enhancements. youtube.com
Text & regex-based functions: Makes cleaning and parsing text far easier than old approach with many nested functions.
Performance monitoring & “Check Performance” tools: Helps you identify slow formulas or large data bottlenecks (important for large dashboards).
Integration with Python in Excel: Reports mention that as of 2025, Python in Excel is available to enterprise & business users. Wikipedia
How You Can Use These Updates in Daily Basis (for DRCG Work)
When building cleaning pipelines, use TEXTBEFORE, TEXTSPLIT, REGEXREPLACE to parse messy fields in one go instead of long nested formulas.
For dashboards, use UNIQUE + FILTER + SORT to create dynamic slicer lists or top-N lists without manual updating.
For report logic, use LET to make formulas readable and maintainable (good when handing off to clients).
Use XLOOKUP instead of VLOOKUP to avoid errors when table structure changes and to look left-wards.
Leverage dynamic arrays so when your source expands, your output automatically spills — this is powerful for your “intermediate” and “advanced” Excel services.
Use AI/Copilot features (if your client uses Excel 365) to speed up the prototyping of formulas or generate suggestions — good for time-efficient delivery.
Monitor performance when working large data sets — optimize heavy formulas with newer engine and avoid bottlenecks.
Leverage Python in Excel for advanced analytics and visualizations when needed — this can set you apart in advanced, high-value reports.
Final Thoughts
If you or your clients are still using Excel 2019 or older, you’re missing a lot of powerful functionality — upgrading to Excel 365 / latest version gives you major advantages.
Many new functions dramatically simplify tasks that used to require complex formulas or manual steps — so for your DRCG service, emphasize that you use the latest Excel best-practice.
Keep a close eye on new updates (Microsoft often rolls features monthly) so you can bring new efficiencies into your service offering.