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ARRAY_CONSTRAIN

The ARRAY_CONSTRAIN formula is used to limit the size of a given range to a specified number of rows and/or columns. This is useful when you want to extract a smaller subset of data from a larger range, or when you want to create a smaller range for use in other formulas.

Usage

Use the ARRAY_CONSTRAIN formula with the syntax shown below, it has 3 required parameters:

=ARRAY_CONSTRAIN(input_range, num_rows, num_cols)
Parameters:
  1. input_range (required):
    The range of cells to constrain.
  2. num_rows (required):
    The number of rows to include in the output range.
  3. num_cols (required):
    The number of columns to include in the output range.

Examples

Here are a few example use cases that explain how to use the ARRAY_CONSTRAIN formula in Google Sheets.

Extracting a subset of data

If you have a large range of data and want to extract a smaller subset of it, you can use ARRAY_CONSTRAIN to limit the range to the desired number of rows and/or columns.

Creating a smaller range for use in other formulas

If you have a large range of data and want to use only a portion of it in another formula, you can use ARRAY_CONSTRAIN to create a smaller range that contains only the relevant data.

Common Mistakes

ARRAY_CONSTRAIN not working? Here are some common mistakes people make when using the ARRAY_CONSTRAIN Google Sheets Formula:

Incorrect range input

One common mistake is to input an invalid range for the input_range parameter. Make sure to input a valid range that includes the data you want to constrain.

Invalid number of rows

Another mistake is to input an invalid number of rows for the num_rows parameter. Make sure to input a number that is less than or equal to the number of rows in the input range.

Invalid number of columns

Similarly, an invalid number of columns for the num_cols parameter can also cause errors. Make sure to input a number that is less than or equal to the number of columns in the input range.

Missing parameter

Forgetting to input any of the required parameters can also cause errors. Make sure to include input_range, num_rows, and num_cols in the formula.

Incorrect parameter order

Make sure to input the parameters in the correct order: input_range, num_rows, num_cols.

Related Formulas

The following functions are similar to ARRAY_CONSTRAIN or are often used with it in a formula:

  • AVERAGE

    The AVERAGE function calculates the average (arithmetic mean) of the values passed to it. It is commonly used to find the average of a range of cells containing numerical data.

  • COUNT

    The COUNT formula returns the number of numeric values within a specified range of cells. It is commonly used to count the number of entries in a given range that meet specific criteria, such as counting the number of sales above a certain threshold.

  • FILTER

    The FILTER formula in Google Sheets is used to filter a range of data based on specified conditions. It returns a new range that only includes the rows that meet the specified conditions. This formula is commonly used to extract specific data from a larger dataset.

  • SORT

    The SORT formula in Google Sheets is used to sort a range of data based on one or more columns. This function can be used to sort data in ascending or descending order, and can also sort by multiple columns. The sorted data can be used for further analysis or presentation.

  • TRANSPOSE

    The TRANSPOSE formula in Google Sheets allows you to flip a table of data by turning rows into columns and columns into rows. This can be useful for reorganizing data or preparing it for use in other formulas.

Learn More

You can learn more about the ARRAY_CONSTRAIN Google Sheets function on Google Support.