From copied formula to a result you can trust.

Your first English-to-German conversion

1. Put 10 in A1 and 20 in B1 in a test worksheet.
2. Load the example below. Its source is English and its destination is German. The example resets the translator to default regional settings and Microsoft 365.
3. Compare the two formulas: SUM becomes SUMME, IFERROR becomes WENNFEHLER, and argument commas become semicolons. A1 and B1 remain the same.
4. Copy the result into German Excel with matching regional settings. The expected result is 30. Try changing B1 to 5; the result should become 15.

=IFERROR(SUM(A1,B1),0)
→ =WENNFEHLER(SUMME(A1;B1);0)

Expected values here are derived from the example inputs. They are not claims that every language and Excel release has been tested in a real Excel client.

Language and regional settings are different

A function's name follows its formula language, while decimal and list separators also depend on the Excel installation's regional configuration. Selecting German supplies a useful preset; it does not detect the settings of Excel on your computer.

In a decimal-point convention, =SUM(1.5,2.5) has two arguments. In a decimal-comma convention, its German form is =SUMME(1,5;2,5). Replacing every comma blindly would confuse decimal separators with argument separators.

If your Excel uses a different convention, choose the Source or Target regional format independently. Advanced settings expose decimal, argument, array-column and array-row separators. Confirm these settings with a small formula in Excel before processing a batch.

Text inside quotes is preserved. For example, the criterion "Paid" must match the worksheet's actual data. TEXT format codes and date strings need additional review because they have locale-sensitive meanings.

What the checks establish

• Structure: the parser checks supported syntax, brackets and quotes. It does not check every function's argument count or whether referenced cells exist.
• Reverse translation: the output is translated back and compared with the input. Matching text checks internal consistency, not independent correctness of the dictionary or equal calculation results.
• Version restrictions: selected functions have documented minimum releases. An unlisted function is shown as unverified, never assumed to work in Excel 2010.
• Microsoft 365: availability can vary with platform, subscription and update channel. The selector is guidance rather than a guarantee.

For important formulas, compare the source and target in Excel using representative inputs, blanks, error values and boundary cases. Check both returned values and error behavior.

Find the cause before changing the formula

What XLSX import does—and does not do

Selecting a workbook reads its worksheet names, cell addresses and formula text in your browser. The tool creates a list for translation and review; CSV export includes the source locations. It does not calculate values, preserve a workbook layout in CSV or write translated formulas back into the original XLSX file.

XLSX stores standardized formula identifiers. Sharing an ordinary workbook across Excel languages usually does not require translating its stored formulas. This import feature is useful when documenting, inspecting or copying formula text into another environment.

The reader handles supported shared-formula references, but reports skipped or unexpandable entries. Encrypted files, ZIP64 workbooks and files larger than 25 MB are rejected. A 20,000-formula extraction limit and decompression safeguards apply. Treat the import summary as part of the result: skipped entries mean the export is incomplete.

For batch input, put one formula on each line. Review each reported line error before exporting. A CSV is a review artifact, not a translated workbook.

SUM: Add numeric values or a range; text in referenced cells is ignored.

Syntax: SUM(number1, [number2], …)

English input:

=SUM(A1,B1)

Expected localized text (German, default regional separators):

=SUMME(A1;B1)

Put 10 in A1 and 20 in B1. Both formulas should return 30. References remain unchanged.

IF: Choose one of two results using a logical condition.

Syntax: IF(logical_test, value_if_true, [value_if_false])

English input:

=IF(A1>=60,"Pass","Retry")

Expected localized text (German, default regional separators):

=WENN(A1>=60;"Pass";"Retry")

With A1 = 75, expect Pass. The labels are ordinary text and intentionally stay in English.

IFERROR: Return a fallback when the enclosed expression produces an error.

Syntax: IFERROR(value, value_if_error)

English input:

=IFERROR(SUM(A1,B1),0)

Expected localized text (German, default regional separators):

=WENNFEHLER(SUMME(A1;B1);0)

With A1 = 10 and B1 = 20, expect 30. If A1 contains an Excel error, expect 0. A fallback can hide an underlying problem, so inspect unexpected zeros.

SUMIFS: Sum values whose corresponding rows meet every supplied condition.

Syntax: SUMIFS(sum_range, criteria_range1, criteria1, …)

English input:

=SUMIFS(B2:B4,A2:A4,"Paid")

Expected localized text (French, default regional separators):

=SOMME.SI.ENS(B2:B4;A2:A4;"Paid")

Enter Paid, Pending, Paid in A2:A4 and 10, 20, 30 in B2:B4. Expect 40. The criterion must still match the source data; translating the word Paid would change the result.

XLOOKUP: Find a matching item and return a value from the corresponding position.

Syntax: XLOOKUP(lookup_value, lookup_array, return_array, [if_not_found], …)

English input:

=XLOOKUP(E2,A2:A4,B2:B4,"Missing")

Expected localized text (German, default regional separators):

=XVERWEIS(E2;A2:A4;B2:B4;"Missing")

Put P1, P2, P3 in A2:A4, 10, 20, 30 in B2:B4 and P2 in E2. Expect 20 in a supporting Excel edition. Excel 2019 does not gain XLOOKUP support by translating its name.

TEXT: Format a value as text using a format-code string that may depend on locale.

Syntax: TEXT(value, format_text)

English input:

=TEXT(A1,"yyyy-mm-dd")

Expected localized text (German, default regional separators):

=TEXT(A1;"yyyy-mm-dd")

This example demonstrates a limitation, not a verified German date format. The format string is preserved. Obtain the appropriate date codes from Format Cells in the target Excel installation before relying on the result.

BASE: Represent an integer in a specified numeral base.

Syntax: BASE(number, radix, [min_length])

English input:

=BASE(7,2)

Expected localized text (German, default regional separators):

=BASIS(7;2)

In a supporting Excel edition, expect the text 111. Introduced in Excel 2013; select Excel 2010 to see the compatibility warning.

Sources and further reading

Examples and explanations above are written for Formula Atlas. Function-version labels are maintained from Microsoft's function directory. For locale-sensitive format strings, consult Microsoft's TEXT documentation. See data provenance and verification scope for what remains unverified.