Spreadsheet Basics: Cells, Formulas, and Functions

A spreadsheet is a grid that does your math for you, and it's the tool almost every team uses to turn raw scouting tallies into a pick list. Everything here works the same in Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel.

Cells, Rows, and Columns

Every box is a cell. Columns are letters (A, B, C...), rows are numbers (1, 2, 3...), and a cell's name combines them: the cell where column B meets row 3 is B3. That name is its reference, and references are what make a spreadsheet powerful.

Lay out scouting data as one row per match record and one column per data point:

• Column A: Team number
• Column B: Match number
• Column C: Game pieces scored
• Column D: Penalties drawn

Keep that shape consistent. Stray notes jammed into odd cells are what break formulas later.

Formulas: Making the Spreadsheet Do Math

A formula starts with an equals sign (=). The moment a cell begins with =, the spreadsheet calculates a result instead of showing text.

• =2+2 shows 4
• =C2+C3 adds the values in C2 and C3
• =C2*1.5 multiplies whatever is in C2 by 1.5

The point is that formulas reference cells, not fixed numbers. Change C2 and every formula pointing at it updates instantly. You build the math once and reuse it all season.

Functions: Built-In Shortcuts

Typing =C2+C3+...+C50 for fifty matches is misery. A function is a named, ready-made formula:

• =SUM(C2:C50) adds every value from C2 to C50
• =AVERAGE(C2:C50) returns the mean of that range
• =COUNT(C2:C50) counts how many cells hold numbers
• =MAX(C2:C50) and =MIN(C2:C50) find the largest and smallest values

The colon defines a range — a block of cells. C2:C50 means "C2 through C50." AVERAGE ignores blank cells and text, so a team that missed a match won't break your column.

Relative vs. Absolute References

Copy a formula down a column and its references shift with it. If D2 holds =C2*2 and you copy it to D3, it becomes =C3*2. That's a relative reference, and it's usually what you want.

Sometimes a reference needs to stay locked. Dollar signs freeze it: $C$1 always points at C1 no matter where you copy it. Say C1 holds the points-per-game-piece value for this season. Then =B2*$C$1 lets you fill the formula down the whole column while every row still reads that one shared number. Change the season's scoring value once in C1 and the entire sheet recalculates.

Why This Matters for FRC

A weekend of qualification matches buries you in numbers. A spreadsheet is the fastest way to turn tally marks into per-team averages your drive team and strategy lead can actually read between matches. Get cells, formulas, and functions down, and the rest of this department — averages, spread, and building a pick list — is just plugging in the right functions.