LASÁK, Pavel and Maria KRÁLOVÁ. LAMBDA FUNCTION IN EXCEL IN RESPONSE TO CHALLENGES OF NONPROGRAMMERS IN MODERN CORPORATE PRACTICE. Online. In INTED2023 Proceedings. Valencia, Spain: 17th International Technology, Education and Development Conference, 2023, p. 931-937. ISBN 978-84-09-49026-4. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.21125/inted.2023.0288.
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Basic information
Original name LAMBDA FUNCTION IN EXCEL IN RESPONSE TO CHALLENGES OF NONPROGRAMMERS IN MODERN CORPORATE PRACTICE
Authors LASÁK, Pavel (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution) and Maria KRÁLOVÁ (203 Czech Republic, belonging to the institution).
Edition Valencia, Spain, INTED2023 Proceedings, p. 931-937, 7 pp. 2023.
Publisher 17th International Technology, Education and Development Conference
Other information
Original language English
Type of outcome Proceedings paper
Field of Study 10201 Computer sciences, information science, bioinformatics
Country of publisher Spain
Confidentiality degree is not subject to a state or trade secret
Publication form electronic version available online
WWW URL
RIV identification code RIV/00216224:14560/23:00130647
Organization unit Faculty of Economics and Administration
ISBN 978-84-09-49026-4
ISSN 2340-1079
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.21125/inted.2023.0288
Keywords in English LAMBDA function; User Defined Functions; Business Analytics
Tags International impact, Reviewed
Changed by Changed by: doc. Mgr. Maria Králová, Ph.D., učo 18650. Changed: 30/1/2024 18:50.
Abstract
Increasing number of companies are becoming aware of competitive advantage of business intelligence implementation in business processes and decision-making. However, due to a shortage of data scientists and experts in business analytics in the labour market, small and medium companies face difficulties developing their analytical departments. Very often, the employees who are not programmers, though skilled in Excel, are asked to focus on analytical data-related tasks. Then the need to develop customized functions for efficient routine data processing becomes necessary. Within Excel, the VBA (Visual Basic for Application) programming language can be used to program customized functions. However, there are three difficulties to cope with. First, VBA expects macros allowed in excel, which is even in Microsoft's default setting blocked. Second, many companies and institutions block macros from running for security reasons. Finally, developing and testing own function may be time-consuming and challenging for nonprogrammers. Using the LAMBDA function is an elegant way to develop new customized functions quickly and effectively without any programming experience. The article describes utilizing the LAMBDA function to create and test a new function. Last but not least, it will be presented how to insert this function into a defined name so that the result will be a standard function that, at first glance, is unrecognizable from a standard Microsoft function or a function created via VBA. In a learning process, there are other advantages. Understanding of the role of parameters and easy debugging in the workbook sheet is easily accessible for nonprogrammers and, in addition, allows a smooth transition to VBA. Practical examples of the development of own functions will be provided to demonstrate the utilization of the LAMBDA function. The examples will cover a broader range of applications, from, e.g., mimicking LPAD and RPAD functions known from SQL to computational routines. The Lambda function represents an easily accessible tool for nonprogrammers allowing its fast implementation in modern corporate business analytics practice.
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