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The DMAX function in Excel is a powerful tool that allows users to retrieve the highest value from a specified data set based on specific criteria. This function is particularly useful for organizing and analyzing large amounts of data in a structured and efficient manner. To use the DMAX function, users need to first specify the range of data they want to analyze and then provide the criteria that the function will use to determine the maximum value. Some examples of its usage include finding the highest sales figure in a given month, identifying the largest budget amount for a specific project, or determining the maximum stock price for a particular company. Overall, the DMAX function can greatly simplify data analysis and provide valuable insights for decision making.
Use DMAX Function in Excel (With Examples)
You can use the DMAX function in Excel to find the max value in a column that meet one or more specific conditions.
This function uses the following basic syntax:
DMAX(database, field, criteria)
where:
- database: The range of cells that make up the “database” of interest
- field: The column to find max value in
- criteria: The range of cells that contain the conditions to meet
The following examples show how to use the DMAX function in practice with the following dataset in Excel that contains information about various basketball players:
Example 1: Use DMAX with One Condition
Suppose we would like to find the max value in the “Points” column where the value in the “Team” column is Mavs.
We can type our criteria into the range A2:D3 and then use the following formula with the DMAX function in cell G2:
=DMAX(A5:D16, "Points", A2:D3)
The following screenshot shows how to use this formula in practice:
The formula returns a value of 32.
This tells us that the max value in the “Points” column where the corresponding value in the “Team” column is Mavs is 32.
Example 2: Use DMAX with Multiple Conditions
Suppose we would like to find the max value in the the “Rebounds” column where the following conditions are met:
- Value in “Team” column is Mavs
- Value in “Points” column is greater than 20
We can type our criteria into the range A2:D3 and then use the following formula with the DMAX function in cell G2:
=DMAX(A5:D16, "Rebounds", A2:D3)
The following screenshot shows how to use this formula in practice:
The formula returns a value of 13.
This tells us that the max value in the “Rebounds” column among players on the Mavs team with a points value greater than 20 is 13.
Additional Resources
The following tutorials explain how to perform other common tasks in Excel: