IF

See Also

Returns one value if a condition you specify evaluates to TRUE and another value if it evaluates to FALSE.

Use IF to conduct conditional tests on values and formulas.

Syntax

IF(logical_test,value_if_true,value_if_false)

Logical_test    is any value or expression that can be evaluated to TRUE or FALSE. For example, A10=100 is a logical expression; if the value in cell A10 is equal to 100, the expression evaluates to TRUE. Otherwise, the expression evaluates to FALSE. This argument can use any comparison calculation operator.

Value_if_true    is the value that is returned if logical_test is TRUE. For example, if this argument is the text string "Within budget" and the logical_test argument evaluates to TRUE, then the IF function displays the text "Within budget". If logical_test is TRUE and value_if_true is blank, this argument returns 0 (zero). To display the word TRUE, use the logical value TRUE for this argument. Value_if_true can be another formula.

Value_if_false    is the value that is returned if logical_test is FALSE. For example, if this argument is the text string "Over budget" and the logical_test argument evaluates to FALSE, then the IF function displays the text "Over budget". If logical_test is FALSE and value_if_false is omitted, (that is, after value_if_true, there is no comma), then the logical value FALSE is returned. If logical_test is FALSE and value_if_false is blank (that is, after value_if_true, there is a comma followed by the closing parenthesis), then the value 0 (zero) is returned. Value_if_false can be another formula.

Remarks

• Up to seven IF functions can be nested as value_if_true and value_if_false arguments to construct more elaborate tests. See the last of the following examples.
• When the value_if_true and value_if_false arguments are evaluated, IF returns the value returned by those statements.
• If any of the arguments to IF are arrays, every element of the array is evaluated when the IF statement is carried out.
• Additional functions can be used to analyze your data based on a condition. For example, to count the number of occurrences of a string of text or a number within a range of cells, use the COUNTIF spreadsheet function. To calculate a sum based on a string of text or a number within a range, use the SUMIF spreadsheet function.

Example 1

The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank spreadsheet.

How?

Example 2

The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank spreadsheet.

How?

Example 3

The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank spreadsheet.

How?

In the preceding example, the second IF statement is also the value_if_false argument to the first IF statement. Similarly, the third IF statement is the value_if_false argument to the second IF statement. For example, if the first logical_test (Average>89) is TRUE, "A" is returned. If the first logical_test is FALSE, the second IF statement is evaluated, and so on.

The letter grades are assigned to numbers using the following key (assuming use of integers only).