![COLUMN Function](https://images.hive.blog/DQmP7zEAE6WR7w2wjeB8Lyd4U9kNntrxf5gAcQvafxnfiHX/COLUMN%20Function.png "COLUMN Formula in Excel or Google Sheets")

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#### **Function Type:** 
Lookup and Reference

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#### **Description:**
The **COLUMN** function in Excel or Google Sheets returns the column number of a reference.
Although we see alphabet being utilized as column indicators, this function would return a whole number.
A - 1
B - 2
C - 3
D - 4
E - 5

It is useful and frequently used combined with other Lookup and Reference functions such as [INDEX](https://leofinance.io/@excelsheets/index-function "INDEX function in excel or google sheets"), [VLOOKUP](https://leofinance.io/@excelsheets/vlookup-function "INDEX function in excel or google sheets"), [HLOOKUP](https://leofinance.io/@excelsheets/hlookup-function "HLOOKUP function in excel or google sheets"), OFFSET and ADDRESS.

I've personally used this function yesterday for my freelance service to a client together with [ROW](https://leofinance.io/@excelsheets/row-function "ROW Formula in Excel or Google Sheets") function. I used COLUMN function to find the column location of [cell](https://leofinance.io/@excelsheets/excel-cells "Excel Cells")  that is equal to the value that I am looking up in a [range](https://leofinance.io/@excelsheets/excel-range "Excel Range").
~~Imagine using VLOOKUP, but in reverse.~~

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#### **Function Structure:** 
=COLUMN(*reference*)

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#### **Argument Breakdown:**
*reference* - A reference to a [cell](https://leofinance.io/@excelsheets/excel-cells "Excel Cells") or [range](https://leofinance.io/@excelsheets/excel-range "Excel Range") of cells.

> PRO TIP:
If you leave this argument blank, the COLUMN function will return the row number of the cell that the formula is in.
=COLUMN()
![COLUMN formula without argument](https://images.hive.blog/DQmWGFctWdnrv4eYnsRj2mXuaE7zeWFcdtZSJ1DrwpKaR7s/image.png "COLUMN formula without reference")
![COLUMN formula without argument result](https://images.hive.blog/DQmNtcPNxH71YvBBQbzr1epnYKfAVT16x1HME6VBAyb4WFE/image.png "COLUMN formula without reference result")

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#### **Example:**


##### Finding the COLUMN number of a [cell](https://leofinance.io/@excelsheets/excel-cells "Excel Cells")

![COLUMN number of a cell using cell reference](https://images.hive.blog/DQmVj8nG1hfeSPrUgBinUA9JdXMDAw67mb2JXcDyEQmnRgj/image.png "COLUMN function spreadsheet")

In the image above, we are asking Excel on which column do we find [cell](https://leofinance.io/@excelsheets/excel-cells "Excel Cells") D2.
I know this function sounds silly (~~and useless~~) right now, but you'll see why we need this function when you start combining this with the other Lookup and Reference functions.

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##### Finding the COLUMN number of a [range of cells](https://leofinance.io/@excelsheets/excel-range "Excel Range").

![COLUMN number of a cell using cell range reference](https://images.hive.blog/DQmVPb15VFDTYudtNzjBYAetWaY23MFa588ut1J28dD8w9k/image.png "COLUMN function spreadsheet")

When we use COLUMN function with a [range of cells](https://leofinance.io/@excelsheets/excel-range "Excel Range") as reference like in the image above, we get the first column of the [range](https://leofinance.io/@excelsheets/excel-range "Excel Range").


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