COVARIANCE.S in WPS on Windows: Introduction

Use the COVARIANCE.S function in WPS Spreadsheet on Windows to calculate sample covariance; 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 scope	No version restriction	Available in WPS Spreadsheet on Windows

About This Feature

Overview

COVARIANCE.S is a statistical function in WPS Spreadsheet for Windows. It calculates the sample covariance of two data sets so you can evaluate how two groups of values change together.

Core capabilities include:

Enter COVARIANCE.S( directly in a cell to start a sample covariance calculation.
Fill in function arguments flexibly for common statistical and data-analysis work.
Use cross-sheet references and nested formulas in more complex worksheets.
Get updated results automatically when referenced data changes.

System Requirements

Item	Requirement
Operating system	A Windows device that can run WPS Office
App version	A current WPS Office build is recommended; the function is available in WPS Spreadsheet on Windows
Network	No constant internet connection is required for local formula calculation; internet access is needed for download, installation, and account services
Other	You need permission to open and edit spreadsheet cells

Download & Installation

Item	Details
Official download	WPS Office Free Download
Installation	Download WPS Office for Windows, complete the setup wizard, and open WPS Spreadsheet
Check after installation	Start WPS Spreadsheet and type `=COVARIANCE.S(` in a cell to confirm the formula editing environment is available

Source: WPS Download Center

Compare with Alternatives

Dimension	WPS	Microsoft	Google	Notion	Adobe
Capability Summary	Enter the COVARIANCE.S function directly in WPS Spreadsheet, with support for argument input, cross-sheet references, nested formulas, and automatic recalculation.	Microsoft Word supports formulas in tables and can update formula results when documents are opened, but this formula model is designed for table fields rather than a full spreadsheet function environment.	The official Google Docs page highlights Gemini features for writing, summarizing, and Q&A, and does not describe a spreadsheet-style sample covariance function workflow in Docs.	Notion formulas work with database properties, built-in values, and functions, which fits database logic rather than a traditional cell-based spreadsheet formula environment.	Adobe Acrobat supports calculations for PDF form fields such as sums and products, which fits form workflows rather than spreadsheet statistical functions.
WPS Advantages	Advantage: WPS provides a direct spreadsheet workflow for statistical formulas, including cross-sheet references, nested calculations, and automatic recalculation after data changes.	Compared with WPS, Word formulas are more focused on document-table field calculations and offer a narrower workflow for spreadsheet-style statistical analysis.	Compared with WPS, the official Docs page describes writing assistance rather than direct spreadsheet statistical function entry.	Compared with WPS, Notion formulas are centered on database properties and automation instead of cell-based statistical formula entry.	Compared with WPS, Acrobat calculations are oriented to PDF form fields rather than routine spreadsheet statistics.
Official Source	—	Use a formula in a Word table	Gemini in Google Docs	Intro to formulas	Configure form field calculations in Acrobat

Overall Conclusion

WPS offers a more direct path for entering and analyzing a sample covariance formula in a spreadsheet. Other products support document tables, database formulas, AI writing assistance, or PDF form calculations for their own scenarios, but WPS is the more suitable fit for this spreadsheet-based statistical task.

Use Cases

No.	Scenario	Suitable for	Main need	How COVARIANCE.S helps
1	Sales trend analysis	Operations teams and sales analysts	Check whether two sales indicators move together	Calculate sample covariance between two data ranges
2	Sample comparison in coursework or research	Teachers, students, and researchers	Compare how two sample groups vary together	Reference two sample columns in a worksheet
3	Financial movement review	Finance and audit teams	Review how revenue and cost data move together	Combine cross-sheet references across worksheets
4	Statistical model preparation	Data analysts	Complete a basic statistical measure before later analysis	Nest COVARIANCE.S with other formulas
5	Routine report checking	General office users	Refresh results after source data changes	Use automatic recalculation to update results quickly

Membership & Benefits

Free vs WPS Premium

Capability	Free	WPS Premium
COVARIANCE.S function	✅ Available	✅ Available
Basic spreadsheet editing	✅ Available	✅ Available
Advanced PDF tools	Limited to basic coverage for some features	Broader tool access
Templates and cloud storage	Limited template downloads and 1 GB cloud storage	More template benefits and 20 GB cloud storage

Source: WPS Office pricing page

Recommendations

Scenario	Recommended plan	Why
You mainly need COVARIANCE.S and everyday spreadsheet calculations	Free	This function is available without membership, so routine spreadsheet work can be completed directly
You also need broader PDF, template, or cloud-storage benefits	WPS Premium	A practical choice for users who handle multiple office tasks regularly

Membership purchase page: Get WPS Premium