The GROWTH function in Google Sheets is a powerful tool designed to analyze and predict future values based on existing exponential growth data. Ideal for businesses and researchers, this function allows users to extract meaningful insights from trends, enabling informed decision-making by anticipating future outcomes.

Syntax

GROWTH(data_y, [data_x], [new_x], [const])

• data_y: The range of dependent data points (known values).
• data_x: (Optional) The independent data points corresponding to data_y (known values). If omitted, it defaults to the range of integers starting from 1.
• new_x: (Optional) A range of new values for which you want to predict corresponding growth values.
• const: (Optional) A logical value indicating whether to force the constant ‘b’ to equal 1. Default is TRUE, meaning ‘b’ is calculated normally.

Example #1

=GROWTH(A2:A5, B2:B5, C2:C3)

This function predicts values for new x-values based on the existing data in ranges A2:A5 (dependent values) and B2:B5 (independent values). For instance, if A2:A5 represents sales figures over the first four months and B2:B5 represents the corresponding months, using C2:C3 for predicting future months could yield results like 1200 and 1500, indicating expected sales for those months.

Example #2

=GROWTH({100;200;300}, {1;2;3}, {4;5})

This example utilizes hardcoded values, predicting the sales figures for periods 4 and 5 based on prior data {100, 200, 300} for periods 1 through 3. The expected returns might be around 400 and 600, showing the projection of sales increase.

Example #3

=GROWTH(A1:A6, B1:B6, {7;8}, FALSE)

In this case, if the data range A1:A6 represents growth rates and B1:B6 indicates the time frame, this function predicts growth for periods 7 and 8 while setting the ‘const’ parameter to FALSE. This could yield predictions of 700 and 800, reflecting continued growth momentum.

Error handling

• VALUE!: This error occurs if the data provided in data_y or data_x is non-numeric. Ensure that the inputs are all numerical values.
• NUM!: Raised when the function cannot fit a curve to the given data. This often happens if there are insufficient data points or if all data points are zero.
• REF!: Indicates a problem with the specified range. This may occur if the cell references used in the function are invalid.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the GROWTH function is invaluable for forecasting and data analysis in Google Sheets. By leveraging existing data trends, users can generate predictions that assist in strategic planning and performance monitoring, making it an essential tool for anyone dealing with exponentially increasing data.