The Excel TAKE function enables you extract a specified number of contiguous rows or columns from the start or end of an array.
TAKE Function Syntax
=TAKE(array, rows, [columns])
array : The array from which to take rows or columns.
rows : The number of rows to take. A negative value takes from the end of the array.
[columns] : [Optional] The number of columns to take. A negative value takes from the end of the array.
Note: The TAKE function is part of the new Excel Dynamic Arrays family. At the time of writing, Dynamic Arrays are only available in Microsoft 365. Excel 2021 and earlier Excel versions will not get TAKE.
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Excel TAKE Function Examples
I can easily extract the just the postcodes from the first row of the table below using TAKE:
Notice the column argument is empty, which returns the whole row.
I can also get the last value from the first row:
Or the first 3 columns by skipping the row argument and specifying 3 in the columns argument:
Tip: if I wanted the last 3 columns, I can specify -3 in the columns argument:
=TAKE(C15:G17,,-3)
Related Excel Array Shaping Functions
| EXPAND Function | Expands or pads an array to a specified number of rows and columns. |
| TOROW Function | Returns the array in a single row. Useful for combining data across multiple columns and rows into a single row. |
| TOCOL Function | Returns the array in a single column. Useful for combining data across multiple columns and rows into a single column. |
| WRAPROWS Function | Lets you wrap (reshape) a row or column of values into rows, you specify the number of values in each row. |
| WRAPCOLS Function | Lets you wrap (reshape) a row or column of values into columns, you specify the number of values in each column. |
| DROP Function | Remove a specified number of contiguous rows or columns from the start or end of an array. |
| CHOOSEROWS Function | Extract rows from the specified column or columns. |
| CHOOSECOLS Function | Extract columns from the specified rows or rows. |
| VSTACK and HSTACK Functions | Combine arrays arranged vertically (VSTACK) or horizontally (HSTACK) into a new single array. |