Introduction

CHOOSECOLS in WPS Spreadsheet is a built-in function for returning selected columns from an array or range; this guide covers 3 core tasks, with 3 available without membership and 0 membership-related items.

At a Glance

Metric	Value	Notes
Core tasks	3	Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index
Available without membership	3	Matches the number of Free rows in the index
Membership-related items	0	Matches the number of membership-related rows in the index

About This Feature

Overview

CHOOSECOLS is a built-in function in WPS Spreadsheet that returns specified columns from an array or cell range based on column numbers. It is useful when you need to reorganize fields, keep only key columns, or reshape spreadsheet data for review.

This WPS Spreadsheet function supports these core tasks:

Find and insert CHOOSECOLS from the Insert Function dialog box.
Type =CHOOSECOLS(...) directly in a cell or in the formula bar.
Review the function syntax and parameter details before entering a formula.

System Requirements

Item	Requirement
Operating system	A Windows device that can run WPS Office normally
App version	The latest version of WPS Office is recommended
Network	No mandatory internet connection is required for local formula entry and calculation; internet access is needed for downloads, updates, or online help
Other	An editable spreadsheet file and worksheet cells that support formula entry

Download & Installation

Item	Details
Official download	WPS Office Free Download
Check after installation	Open WPS Spreadsheet and confirm that the Formula tab and formula bar are available

Source: WPS Download Center

Compare with Alternatives

Dimension	WPS	Microsoft	Google	Notion	Adobe
Capability Summary	Provides the CHOOSECOLS function and supports both dialog-based insertion and direct formula entry for column selection in spreadsheet data	Excel provides the CHOOSECOLS function to return specified columns from an array	—	Notion focuses on database properties and formula fields rather than spreadsheet functions such as CHOOSECOLS	Adobe Acrobat focuses on PDF workflows rather than spreadsheet column-selection functions
Official Source	—	Microsoft CHOOSECOLS function	—	Notion formulas	Adobe Acrobat desktop help

Advantage: You can use CHOOSECOLS in WPS through both the Insert Function dialog and direct formula entry in the worksheet

Overall Conclusion
For spreadsheet work that depends on selecting and rearranging columns, WPS and Microsoft Excel are the closest matches in function style. Google, Notion, and Adobe focus on different product directions, so they are less aligned with this specific spreadsheet formula scenario.

Use Cases

No.	Scenario	Suitable For	Main Challenge	How CHOOSECOLS Helps
1	Extract key fields	Data organizers	Source sheets contain too many columns to review efficiently	Return only the columns you need
2	Rebuild report layouts	Office users	Existing columns need to appear in a new order	Recombine output by target column numbers
3	Compare selected data	Finance or operations users	Only part of the table needs to be checked	Pull out the target columns before reviewing them
4	Learn formula syntax	New users	Parameter structure is not yet familiar	Review syntax and parameter prompts before entry
5	Enter formulas faster	Experienced formula users	Dialog steps slow down repetitive work	Type the formula directly in the cell or formula bar

Membership & Benefits

Free vs WPS Premium

Feature	Free	WPS Premium
Use the CHOOSECOLS function	✅ Available	✅ Available
Insert formulas from the function dialog	✅ Available	✅ Available
Standard spreadsheet editing and calculation	✅ Available	✅ Available

Recommendations

Scenario	Recommended Plan	Why
Everyday spreadsheet work and learning formulas	Free	CHOOSECOLS itself is available for regular spreadsheet tasks
Users who also need broader premium benefits	WPS Premium	Suitable if you want additional membership benefits beyond spreadsheet formulas

WPS membership: Subscribe now

Source: WPS Office pricing page