Search results
In Excel, the IF function allows you to make a logical comparison between a value and what you expect by testing for a condition and returning a result if that condition is True or False. =IF (Something is True, then do something, otherwise do something else)
Jan 25, 2016 · 8 Answers. Sorted by: 367. Use this form: =(B0+4)/$A$0. The $ tells excel not to adjust that address while pasting the formula into new cells. Since you are dragging across rows, you really only need to freeze the row part: =(B0+4)/A$0. Keyboard Shortcuts.
We use the IF statement in Excel to test one condition and return one value if the condition is met and another if the condition is not met. However, we use multiple or nested IF statements when evaluating numerous conditions in a specific order to return different results.
- Overview
- Technical details
- Remarks
- Examples
- Additional examples
- Did you know?
- Need more help?
- Related Topics
The IF function allows you to make a logical comparison between a value and what you expect by testing for a condition and returning a result if True or False.
•=IF(Something is True, then do something, otherwise do something else)
So an IF statement can have two results. The first result is if your comparison is True, the second if your comparison is False.
IF statements are incredibly robust, and form the basis of many spreadsheet models, but they are also the root cause of many spreadsheet issues. Ideally, an IF statement should apply to minimal conditions, such as Male/Female, Yes/No/Maybe, to name a few, but sometimes you might need to evaluate more complex scenarios that require nesting* more than 3 IF functions together.
Use the IF function, one of the logical functions, to return one value if a condition is true and another value if it's false.
Syntax
IF(logical_test, value_if_true, [value_if_false])
For example:
•=IF(A2>B2,"Over Budget","OK")
•=IF(A2=B2,B4-A4,"")
While Excel will allow you to nest up to 64 different IF functions, it’s not at all advisable to do so. Why?
•Multiple IF statements require a great deal of thought to build correctly and make sure that their logic can calculate correctly through each condition all the way to the end. If you don’t nest your formula 100% accurately, then it might work 75% of the time, but return unexpected results 25% of the time. Unfortunately, the odds of you catching the 25% are slim.
•Multiple IF statements can become incredibly difficult to maintain, especially when you come back some time later and try to figure out what you, or worse someone else, was trying to do.
If you find yourself with an IF statement that just seems to keep growing with no end in sight, it’s time to put down the mouse and rethink your strategy.
Following is an example of a relatively standard nested IF statement to convert student test scores to their letter grade equivalent.
•=IF(D2>89,"A",IF(D2>79,"B",IF(D2>69,"C",IF(D2>59,"D","F"))))
This complex nested IF statement follows a straightforward logic:
1.If the Test Score (in cell D2) is greater than 89, then the student gets an A
2.If the Test Score is greater than 79, then the student gets a B
3.If the Test Score is greater than 69, then the student gets a C
Following is a very common example of calculating Sales Commission based on levels of Revenue achievement.
•=IF(C9>15000,20%,IF(C9>12500,17.5%,IF(C9>10000,15%,IF(C9>7500,12.5%,IF(C9>5000,10%,0)))))
This formula says IF(C9 is Greater Than 15,000 then return 20%, IF(C9 is Greater Than 12,500 then return 17.5%, and so on...
While it’s remarkably similar to the earlier Grades example, this formula is a great example of how difficult it can be to maintain large IF statements – what would you need to do if your organization decided to add new compensation levels and possibly even change the existing dollar or percentage values? You’d have a lot of work on your hands!
Here is an example of the commission scenario with the logic out of order:
Can you see what’s wrong? Compare the order of the Revenue comparisons to the previous example. Which way is this one going? That’s right, it’s going from bottom up ($5,000 to $15,000), not the other way around. But why should that be such a big deal? It’s a big deal because the formula can’t pass the first evaluation for any value over $5,000. Let’s say you’ve got $12,500 in revenue – the IF statement will return 10% because it is greater than $5,000, and it will stop there. This can be incredibly problematic because in a lot of situations these types of errors go unnoticed until they’ve had a negative impact. So knowing that there are some serious pitfalls with complex nested IF statements, what can you do? In most cases, you can use the VLOOKUP function instead of building a complex formula with the IF function. Using VLOOKUP, you first need to create a reference table:
There is now an IFS function that can replace multiple, nested IF statements with a single function. So instead of our initial grades example, which has 4 nested IF functions:
•=IF(D2>89,"A",IF(D2>79,"B",IF(D2>69,"C",IF(D2>59,"D","F"))))
It can be made much simpler with a single IFS function:
•=IFS(D2>89,"A",D2>79,"B",D2>69,"C",D2>59,"D",TRUE,"F")
The IFS function is great because you don’t need to worry about all of those IF statements and parentheses.
Note: This feature is only available if you have a Microsoft 365 subscription. If you are a Microsoft 365subscriber, make sure you have the latest version of Office.
You can always ask an expert in the Excel Tech Community or get support in Communities.
One set of features, commonly used but not always understood, is the “IF family” of functions. This article is a beginner’s guide to understanding the purpose, logic, and real-world examples of Excel's IF functions.
Nov 13, 2019 · Nesting functions in Excel refers to placing one function inside another. The nested function acts as one of the main function's arguments. The AND, OR, and IF functions are some of Excel's better known logical functions that are commonly used together.
People also ask
What is if function in Excel?
How does the IFS function work in Excel 365?
Should I use multiple or nested IF statements in Excel?
How do I test multiple conditions in Excel 365?
Can I nest multiple if functions in Excel?
How many if functions are there in Excel?
Mar 22, 2023 · Microsoft Excel provides 4 logical functions to work with the logical values. The functions are AND, OR, XOR and NOT. You use these functions when you want to carry out more than one comparison in your formula or test multiple conditions instead of just one.
