DSTDEV

• How to use DSTDEV formula?
• Examples of using DSTDEV formula
• DSTDEV formula not working?
• Similar formulas to DSTDEV

Usage

Use the DSTDEV formula with the syntax shown below, it has 2 required parameters and 1 optional parameter:

=DSTDEV(database, field, criteria)

1. database (required):
   The range of cells that make up the database to be analyzed.
2. field (required):
   The column or field within the database from which to calculate the standard deviation.
3. criteria (optional):
   [Optional] The range of cells that contain the criteria to be applied to the database before calculating the standard deviation.

Examples

Calculate the standard deviation of a single field in a database

Use DSTDEV to quickly calculate the standard deviation of a single field within a database, without having to manually extract the field and perform the calculation separately.

Calculate the standard deviation of a field based on criteria

Use DSTDEV with a criteria range to calculate the standard deviation of a field based on specific criteria, such as a date range or a specific category.

Compare the standard deviation of two fields

Use DSTDEV to compare the standard deviation of two different fields within a database, to gain insights into the variability of different data sets.

Analyze trends over time

Use DSTDEV with a date range criteria to analyze trends over time, by calculating the standard deviation of a field over a series of time periods.

Identify outliers

Use DSTDEV to identify potential outliers within a database, by identifying fields with a standard deviation that is significantly higher or lower than the average.

Common Mistakes

Using the wrong column reference

Make sure that the column reference for the field parameter is correct and matches the column that contains the values you want to use for the calculation.

Forgetting to include the criteria parameter

If you want to include only certain records in the calculation, make sure to include a criteria range as the third parameter. Otherwise, the function will use all records in the database range.

Using the wrong criteria reference

Make sure that the column reference for the criteria parameter is correct and matches the column that contains the criteria you want to use for the calculation.

Misinterpreting the output

Remember that DSTDEV returns the standard deviation of the population, not a sample of the population. Make sure to interpret the result accordingly.

Using the function with non-numeric data

DSTDEV can only be used with numeric data. Make sure that the values in the field you are using for the calculation are all numeric.

Related Formulas

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

• DAVERAGE

  The DAVERAGE function calculates the average value of a specified field in a database that matches the given criteria. The function is commonly used in financial and business analysis to calculate averages based on specific conditions.

• DGET

  The DGET formula is used to retrieve a single value from a database table based on specified criteria. It returns the value of a cell in a column that meets the criteria specified in the formula.

• DMAX

  The DMAX function is a Database function in Google Sheets that returns the maximum value of a single column in a database table that meets specified criteria. The criteria can be specified using multiple conditions. This function is commonly used in data analysis, especially when working with large datasets.

• DMIN

  The DMIN function returns the minimum value from a column in a database, based on a specified condition. This function is commonly used to extract specific data from large databases.

• DVAR

  DVAR is a Google Sheets formula used in database management. It calculates the variance of a given field in a filtered database range. This function is useful for organizing and analyzing large sets of data.

Learn More

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