The help screen for €œNPV(rate, value1, value2, €¦ value29)€� says the values
after rate are evenly spaced in time. If the period is one year, then value1
occurs at the end of the 1st year, value2 at the end of the 2nd year. In
example 2 on the help screen, this is true. Value1 = "Return from first year"
and Value2 = "Return from second year".

However, in example 1, Value1 = "Initial cost of investment one year from
today" and Value2 = "Return from first year". These two values refer to the
same year.

But NPV( .1, -10000, 3000) would be treated as negative cash flow of 10,000
in the first year and a 3,000 return the second year, if I have read this
correctly, not as was explained in ex. 1.