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Lookup function
ROW
Returns the row number of a reference, or of the cell it sits in.
Very commonDifficulty 1050 · CapableUsage rank #88 of 520
When to use it
The row number of a reference, or of the cell it sits in when empty. Serial numbers, alternating shading, and counters inside array formulas.
The shape of it
- Syntax
=ROW([reference])
Worked examples
Current row
=ROW() → 5
Typed in any cell of row 5.
Row of a reference
=ROW(A10) → 10
The row of a reference.
An array of rows
=ROW(A1:A3) → {1;2;3}
A range returns an array of row numbers.
Worth knowing
- Self-healing serial numbers: =ROW()-1 under a header survives row deletions.
- Every nth row: =MOD(ROW(),3)=0.
- SEQUENCE is clearer than ROW(A1:A10) for generating counters.
Where it goes wrong
- Row numbers change when rows are inserted above, which is usually intended but occasionally not.
- ROW() in a header cell returns the header row, so subtract it.
Related
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