How to use the Excel DVARP function

The Excel DVARP function returns the variance of an entire population extracted from records that match given criteria. If data represents the a sample only, use the DVAR function.

Syntax: =DVARP(database, field, criteria)

The DVARP function syntax has the following arguments:

• Database    Required. The range of cells that makes up the list or database. A database is a list of related data in which rows of related information are records, and columns of data are fields. The first row of the list contains labels for each column.
• Field    Required. Indicates which column is used in the function. Enter the column label enclosed between double quotation marks, such as “Age” or “Yield,” or a number (without quotation marks) that represents the position of the column within the list: 1 for the first column, 2 for the second column, and so on.

• Criteria    Required. The range of cells that contains the conditions that you specify. You can use any range for the criteria argument, as long as it includes at least one column label and at least one cell below the column label in which you specify a condition for the column.

Example: Let’s look at some Excel DVARP function examples and explore how to use the DVARP function as a worksheet function in Microsoft Excel:

Syntax:  =DVARP(A1:C16,C1,E1:F2)

Result:

Based on the Excel spreadsheet above, the following DVARP examples would return:

Note:

• DVARP is mean to calculate variance for data that represents an entire population. Use the DVAR for a sample.
• DVARP supports some wildcards in criteria
• Criteria can include more than one row (as explained above)
• The field argument can be supplied as a name in double quotes (“”) or as a number representing field index.
• The database and criteria ranges must include matching headers.