Short Answer 
The formula to calculate take-home pay in Excel is “= C4 + C4 * D4 – E4”, where C4 is total pay, D4 is the tax rate, and E4 is deductions. To ensure correct calculations, apply the PEMDAS rule for order of operations, and once set for one employee, the formula can be easily extended to others by dragging down the cell.
Step 1: Understand the Formula Structure
The formula to calculate the Take-home pay is “= C4 + C4 * D4 – E4”. In this context, C4 represents the total pay, D4 is the tax rate (as a decimal), and E4 is any deductions. It’s crucial to identify what each cell signifies to ensure accurate calculations.
Step 2: Apply the PEMDAS Rule
Excel follows the PEMDAS rule, which stands for Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication and Division, Addition and Subtraction. Thus, your formula will first perform the multiplication of C4 and D4, then add the result to C4, and finally subtract E4. This hierarchy ensures that calculations are executed in the correct order for accurate outcomes.
Step 3: Implement the Formula for Multiple Employees
Once you have entered the formula for the first employee, you can easily apply it to others. To do this, click on the corner of the cell with the formula and drag it down to fill cells corresponding to other employees. This action copies the formula while adjusting cell references automatically for each employee.