COVAR in WPS on Windows: Introduction

WPS COVAR is a covariance function in Spreadsheets; this guide covers 4 core tasks, with 4 available without membership and 0 membership-related items.

At a Glance

Metric	Value	Notes
Core tasks	4	Matches the number of rows in the How-to Index
Available without membership	4	Matches the number of Free rows in the index
Membership-related items	0	Matches the number of membership-related rows in the index
Version availability	All versions	Available in WPS Spreadsheets across versions

About This Feature

Overview

COVAR is a statistical function in WPS Spreadsheets for calculating the covariance of two data sets and helping evaluate whether values change in the same direction.

Core capabilities include:

Quickly enter the COVAR function for spreadsheet-based statistical analysis.
Use flexible parameters for different calculation scenarios.
Reference data across worksheets and combine COVAR with nested formulas.
Get recalculated results when referenced data changes.

Common use cases include score analysis, sales comparison, and experiment data review.

System Requirements

Item	Requirement
Operating system	A Windows device that can run WPS Office
App version	Using the latest WPS Office version is recommended; COVAR is available across WPS Spreadsheets versions
Network	No mandatory network connection is required for local formula calculation
Other	You need permission to open and edit spreadsheet cells

Download & Installation

Install WPS Office before using the COVAR function in WPS Spreadsheets.

Item	Details
Official download	WPS Office Free Download
Post-install check	Open WPS Spreadsheets and type `=COVAR(` in a cell to confirm the function input flow is available

Source: WPS download page

Compare with Alternatives

Dimension	WPS	Microsoft	Google	Notion	Adobe
Capability Summary	Provides COVAR input, syntax prompts, cross-worksheet references, and nested calculation support in a spreadsheet workflow.	Excel provides the COVAR function for covariance calculation and notes that newer functions replace it while keeping backward compatibility.	Google Sheets provides the COVAR function for covariance calculation and explains positive and negative covariance behavior.	Notion formulas support properties, operators, and functions for database calculations, but the official function reference does not list a spreadsheet-style COVAR function.	Acrobat supports calculation fields in PDF forms, such as sum and average, rather than spreadsheet covariance functions.
WPS Advantages	Advantage: COVAR can be entered directly in spreadsheet cells and used with cross-worksheet references. Distinct: results update when referenced data changes.	Compared with WPS: Excel also supports covariance functions, but the official page notes that legacy COVAR has been replaced by newer functions.	Compared with WPS: Google Sheets also supports COVAR, with documentation centered on web-based spreadsheet usage.	Compared with WPS: Notion is oriented toward database property formulas instead of a dedicated covariance worksheet function.	Compared with WPS: Adobe calculation tools are designed for PDF form fields rather than spreadsheet statistics.
Official Source	—	COVAR function	COVAR	Formula syntax & functions	Configure form field calculations in Acrobat

Overall Conclusion
WPS COVAR fits spreadsheet-based covariance analysis and supports direct formula entry, cross-worksheet references, and nested calculations. For worksheet statistics, WPS is closer to Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets workflows, while Notion and Adobe focus on database or PDF form scenarios.

Use Cases

No.	Scenario	Suitable for	Main challenge	How COVAR helps
1	Sales trend comparison	Sales and operations teams	Need to check whether two indicators move together	Use COVAR on two sales data ranges
2	Score analysis	Teachers and students	Hard to compare two score sets quickly	Calculate covariance directly in a worksheet
3	Experiment data review	Researchers and lab users	Manual covariance calculation takes extra time	Return the result with a formula
4	Cross-sheet analysis	Finance and analysts	Multi-sheet references are easy to mis-handle manually	Use cross-worksheet references in COVAR
5	Combined formula analysis	Advanced spreadsheet users	One function alone may not cover a full workflow	Nest COVAR inside larger formulas

Membership & Benefits

Free vs WPS Premium

Capability	Free	WPS Premium
COVAR input and calculation	✅	✅
Basic spreadsheet editing	✅	✅
Advanced PDF tools and broader add-on capabilities	Provided as listed on the pricing page	More complete access
Cloud storage	1 GB	20 GB

Source: WPS Office pricing page

Recommendations

Scenario	Recommended plan	Why
Everyday spreadsheet statistics and formula learning	Free	The COVAR function itself is available without membership
More cloud storage and broader tool access	WPS Premium	Better for users who also need expanded document, PDF, and related capabilities

Membership page: Subscribe to WPS Premium