Find percentage in excel

In various activities it is necessary to calculate percentages. We should understand, how do we «get» them. Trade allowances, VAT, discounts, profitability of deposits, securities and even tips — all these are calculated in the form of some part from the whole.

Let’s figure out how to work with the percentages in Excel. This program calculates automatically and admits different variants of the same formula.



Working with percentages in Excel

To count the percentage of the number, add, and take percentages on a modern calculator is not difficult. The main condition is the corresponding icon (%) on the keyboard. And only then it’s the matter of technology and mindfulness.

For example 25 + 5%. To find the value of the expression, you need to type on the calculator a given sequence of numbers and signs. The result is 26.25. With such a technique the great intellect is not needed.

To formulate formulas in Excel, let us recollect the school basics:

Percentage is one hundredth part of the whole.

To find a percentage of an integer, we should divide the required fraction by an integer and multiply by 100.

Example: 30 pieces of goods were bought. On the first day 5 units were sold. How many percentages of goods were sold?

5 is a part. 30 is an integer. We substitute data into the formula:

(5/30) * 100 = 16.7%

To add a percentage to a number in Excel (25 + 5%), you must first find 5% of 25. At school there was the proportion:

• 25 — 100%;
• Х — 5%.

X = (25 * 5) / 100 = 1.25

After that you can perform the addition. When the basic computing skills are restored, it is easy to understand the formulas.



How to calculate the percentage from the number in Excel

There are several ways.

Adapt the mathematical formula to the program: (Part / Whole) * 100.

Look attentively at the formula line and the result. The result turned out to be correct. But we did not multiply by 100. Why?

In Excel the format of the cells changes. For C1, we have assigned a «Percentage» format. It means multiplying the value by 100 and putting it on the screen with the sign %. If necessary, you can set a certain number of digits after the decimal point.

Now let’s calculate how much will be 5% of 25. To do this, enter the formula in the cell: = (25 * 5) / 100. The result is:

Another variant is = (25/100) * 5. The result will be the same.

Let’s have the example in another way by using the % sign on the keyboard:

Let us apply this knowledge to practice.

The cost of the goods and the VAT rate (18%) are known. We need to calculate the amount of VAT.

We multiply the cost of goods by 18%. Copy the formula for the whole column. To do this, we catch the mouse with the lower right corner of the cell and pull it down.

The amount of VAT, the rate is known. We should find the value of the goods. Calculation formula is: = (B1 * 100) / 18. The result is:

The quantity of the sold goods is known, separately and the whole. It is necessary to find the share of sales for each unit relative to the whole. The calculation formula remains the same: Part / Whole * 100. Only in this example we make the reference to the cell in the denominator of the fraction absolute. Use the $ sign in front of the line name and column name: $B$7.

How to add the percent to number

The task is solved in two actions:

1. Firstly, we find how much a percentage of the number is. Here we calculated how much will be 5% of 25.



2. Secondly, we add the result to the number. Example for review: 25 + 5%.

And here we performed the actual addition. Omit the intermediate effect.

The VAT rate is 18%. We need to find the amount of VAT and add it to the price of the goods. The formula is: =price + (price * 18%).

Do not forget about the brackets! With the help of it we establish the calculation procedure.

To remove the percentage from a number in Excel, you should follow the same procedure. We perform subtraction instead of addition.

How to count the odds in percentage in Excel?

What is the amount of the value changing between the two values in percentage?

First, let’s abstract from Excel. A month ago, the tables were brought to the store at a price of 100$ per unit. Today, the purchase price is 150$.

Difference in percentage is: = (New price – Old price) / Old price * 100%.

In our example, the purchase price for a unit of goods increased in 50%.

Let’s calculate the percentage difference between the data in two columns:

Do not forget to expose the «Percentage» format of the cells. Calculate the percentage difference between the lines:

The formula is as follows: =(next value – previous value) / previous value.

With such an arrangement of the data, the first line is skipped!

If you want to compare the data for all months with January, for example, use the absolute reference to the cell with the desired value ($ sign).

How to make a diagram with percentages

The first option is to make a column in the data table. Select 2 cell ranges A2:A6 and C2:C6 (while holding down the CTRL key). Then use this data to build a chart. Select the cells with percentages and copy — click «INSERT» — select the type of chart (for example «2D Pie») — OK.

The second option: specify the format of data signatures in the form of a share. There are 22 working shifts in May. You need to calculate the percentage: the amount of work each worker did. We compose the table, where the first column is the number of working days; the second is the number of days off.

We make a pie chart. Select the data in cell ranges A2:C6. «INSERT» — «Insert Pie or Doughnut Chart» — «2D Pie».

Click on them with the right mouse button — «Add Data Labels» and «Format Data Labels»:

Choose «Share». On the tab «LABEL OPTIONS» we choose the percentage format. It turns out like this:

Download examples Calculate Percentages in Excel

We may stop here. And you can edit it to your taste: change the color, the appearance of the diagram, makes underscores and so on.

If you need to work with percentages, you’ll be happy to know that Excel has tools to make your life easier. 

You can use Excel to calculate percentage increases or decreases to track your business results each month. Whether it’s rising costs or percentage sales changes from month to month, you want to keep on top of your key business figures. Excel can help you do that.

You’ll also learn how to work with advanced percentage calculations using the scenario of calculating grade point averages, as well as discover how to figure out percentile rankings, which are both relatable examples that you can apply to a variety of use cases.

In this tutorial, learn how to calculate percentages in Excel with step-by-step workflows. Let’s look at some Excel percentage formulas, functions, and tips using a sheet of business expenses and a sheet of school grades.

You’ll walk away with the techniques needed to work proficiently with percentages in Excel. 

Screencast

Watch the complete tutorial screencast, or work through the step-by-step written version below. First, download the source files for free: Excel percentages worksheets. We’ll use them to work through the tutorial exercises.

1. Input
Initial Data in Excel

Input the data as follows (or start with the download file
«percentages.xlsx» contained in the tutorial source files). This worksheet is for Expenses. Later in this tutorial, we’ll
use the Grades worksheet.

2. Calculate a Percentage Increase

Let’s say you anticipate that next year’s costs will be 8%
higher, so you want to see what they are.

Before writing any formulas, it’s helpful to know that Excel
is flexible enough to calculate the same way whether you type percentages with
a percent sign (like 20%) or as a decimal (like 0.2 or just .2). To Excel, the
percent symbol is just formatting.

We want to show the total estimated amount, not just the increase.

Step 1

In A18, type the
header With 8% increase. Since we
have a number mixed with text, Excel will treat the entire cell as text.

Step 2

Press Tab, then
in B18, enter this Excel percentage formula: =B17 * 1.08

Alternatively, you can enter the formula this way: =B17 * 108%

The amount is 71,675, as shown below:

3. Calculate a Percentage Decrease

Maybe you think your expenses will decrease by 8 percent
instead. To see those numbers, the formula is similar. Start by showing the
total, lower amount, not just the decrease.

Step 1

In A19, type the
header With 8% decrease.

Step 2

Press Tab, then
in B19, enter this percentage formula in Excel: =B17 * .92

Alternatively, you can enter the formula this way: =B17 * 92%

The amount is 61,057.

Step 3

If you want a little more flexibility in changing the
percentage by which you think the costs will rise or drop, you can enter the
formulas this way, instead:

For the 8% increase, enter this formula in B18: =B17 + B17 * 0.08

Step 4

For the 8% decrease, enter this Excel percentage formula in B19: =B17 – B17 * 0.08

With these formulas, you can simply change the .08 to
another number to get a new result from a different percentage.

4. Calculate a Percentage Amount

Now to work through an Excel formula for a percentage amount. What if you want to see the 8% amount itself, not the new total? To do that, multiply the total
amount in B17 by 8 percent.

Step 1

In A20, enter the header 8% of total.

Step 2

Press Tab, then
in B20 enter the formula: =B17 * 0.08

Alternatively, you can enter the formula this way: =B17 * 8%

The amount is 5,309.

5. Make Adjustments Without Rewriting Formulas

If you want to change the percentage without having to
rewrite the formulas, put the percentage in its own cell. We’ll start by
entering row titles.

Step 1

In A22, type Adjustment.
Press Enter.

Step 2

In A23, type Higher
total. Press Enter.

Step 3

In A24, type Lower
total. Press Enter.

The worksheet should now look like this:

Now enter the percentage and the formulas to the right of
the titles. 

Step 4

In B22, type 8%. Press Enter.

Step 5

In B23, enter
this formula to give you the total plus another 8%: =B17 + B17 * B22

Step 6

In B24, enter this
formula to give you the total less 8%: =B17 * (100% - B22)

When you type the 8% in B22, Excel automatically formats the
cell as a percentage. If you type .08 or 0.08, Excel will leave it like that.
You can always format it as a percent later on by clicking the Percent Style
button on the Ribbon:

Tip: you can also format the numbers as Percent Style using
a keyboard shortcut: press Control—Shift—% in Windows or Command-Shift-% on the Mac. 

6. Calculate a Percentage Change

You might also want to calculate the percentage change from
one month to the next month. That would give you a picture of whether costs
were heading up or heading down. So let’s do that down column C. 

The general rule to calculate a percentage change is:

=(new value — old
value) / new value

Since January is the first month, it doesn’t have a
percentage change. The first change will be from January to February, and we’ll
put this next to February’s number. 

Step 1

To calculate the first percentage change, enter this percent change formula in C5: =(B5-B4)/B5

Step 2

Excel displays this as a decimal, so click the Percent Style
button on the Ribbon (or use the above mentioned shortcuts) to format it as a
percent.

Now that we know what the percent change is from January to
February, we can AutoFill the formula down column C to show the remaining percent
changes for the year.

Step 3

Roll the mouse pointer over the dot in the lower-right
corner of the cell that shows -7%.

Step 4

When the mouse pointer becomes a crosshair, Double-click.

If you’re unfamiliar with the AutoFill feature, see technique 3 in my Excel power techniques article:

Step 5

Click cell B3
(the “Amount” header).

Step 6

Put the mouse pointer on its AutoFill dot and drag one cell to
the right, into C3. That duplicates the
header, including the formatting.

Step 7

In C3, type % Change, replacing the text that’s already
there.

7. Calculate a Percentage of Total

The final technique on this sheet is to find the percent of
total for each month. For a percent of total calculation, think of a pie chart
where each month is a slice, and all the slices add up to 100%.

Whether with Excel or with pencil and paper, the way to
calculate a percentage of total is with a simple division:

Component
number/total

… and format it as a percentage.

In this example, we divide each month by the total at the
bottom of column B.

Step 1

Click on C3 and
AutoFill one cell across to D3.

Step 2

Change D3 to % of Total.

Step 3

In D4, type this
formula, but don’t press Enter, yet: =B4/B17

Step 4

Before entering the formula, we want to be sure of preventing
AutoFill errors. Since we’re going to AutoFill down the column, the denominator,
which is now B17, shouldn’t change. If it does, the numbers for February
through December will be wrong.

Make sure the text cursor is still in the formula, on the “B17”
denominator.

Step 5

Press the F4 key
(on the Mac, press Fn—F4).

That inserts dollar signs before the column and the row, turning
the denominator into $B$17. The $B means that column B won’t increase to column
C, etc. and the $17 means the row won’t increase to $18, etc.

Step 6

Make sure the percentage formula in excel is now: =B4/$B$17.

Step 7

Now we can enter and AutoFill.

Press Control-Enter (on the Mac, press Command-↩)
to enter the formula without moving the cursor down to the next row.

Step 8

Click the Percent
Style button on the ribbon or use the Control-Shift-% (Command-Shift-%) shortcut.

Step 9

Roll the mouse pointer over the AutoFill dot in the
lower-right corner of D4.

Step 10

When the cursor becomes a crosshair, double-click to
AutoFill the formula down to the bottom.

Each month will now show how much of a percentage of the
grand total it is.

8. Percentage Ranking

Ranking numbers by percent is a statistical technique.
You’re probably familiar with it from school: you and your classmates have
grade point averages, so each of you is ranked in a percentile. The higher your
grades, the higher your percentile. 

The list of numbers (grades, in this
example) are in a range of cells that Excel calls an array. There’s nothing
special about an array and you don’t have to define it. That’s just what Excel
calls the range of cells you plug into a formula.

Excel has two functions for percentage ranking. One function
includes the beginning and ending numbers of the array and the other function
doesn’t.

Look at the second tab in the worksheet: Grades.

This shows a list of 35 grade point averages, sorted in
ascending order. The first thing we want to do is find the percentile rank for
each one. To do this, we’ll use the =PERCENTRANK.INC function. The “INC” part
of that function means “inclusive,» as it will include the first and last grades
in the list. If you want to exclude the first and last numbers in the array,
you would use the =PERCENTRANK.EXC function. 

The function takes two mandatory arguments and the syntax
is: =PERCENTRANK.INC(array,
entry)

• array is the
  range of cells that contains the list (in this example, it’s B3:B37)
• entry is any
  number or cell in the list

Step 1

Click C3, the
first one in the list.

Step 2

Start typing this formula, but don’t press Enter, yet: =PERCENTRANK.INC(B3:B37

Step 3

This range needs to be an absolute reference so we can
AutoFill to the bottom.

Press F4 (on the
Mac, press Fn—F4) to insert dollar signs.

The formula should now look like this: =PERCENTRANK.INC($B$3:$B$37

Step 4

In each case down column C, we want to know the percent rank
of the entry in column B.

Click B3, then
close the parenthesis.

The formula is now
this: =PERCENTRANK.INC($B$3:$B$37,B3)

Now we can fill in and format the numbers. 

Step 5

If necessary, click back on C3 to select it.

Step 6

Double-click the AutoFill dot on C3. That automatically fills down the column.

Step 7

On the Ribbon, click the Percent Style button to format the
column as percentages. You should now see the finished result:

So if you had very good grades and your GPA was 3.98, you
would say that you ranked in the 94^th percentile. 

9. Finding the Percentile

You can also find the percentile directly, using the PERCENTILE
functions. With these functions, you enter a percent rank, and it will return a
number from the array that corresponds to that rank. If the exact number you
want isn’t listed, Excel will interpolate the result and return the number that
“should” be there.

When would you use this? Let’s say you plan on applying for
a graduate program, and the program accepts only students who score in the 60th percentile or higher. So you want to know what GPA is exactly 60%. Looking at
this list, we can see 3.22 is at 59% and 3.25 is at 62%, so we can use the
=PERCENTILE.INC function to find the answer.

The syntax is: =PERCENTILE.INC(array,
percent rank)

• array is the
  range of cells that contains the list (same as the previous example, B3:B37)
• rank is a
  percentage (or a decimal between and including 0 and 1)

Just like with the percent ranking functions, you could use =PERCENTILE.EXC
to exclude the first and last entries in the array, but that’s not what we want
in this example.

Step 1

Click in B39,
below the list.

Step 2

Enter this formula: =PERCENTILE.INC(B3:B37,60%)

Since we aren’t going to AutoFill this formula, there is no
need to make the array an absolute reference.

Step 3

On the Ribbon, click the Decrease Decimal button once, to round the number to two decimal
places.

The result is that in this array, a 3.23 GPA is the 60th percentile. Now you know the grades you need for acceptance into the program.

Conclusion

Percentages aren’t complicated, and Excel calculates them
using the same rules of math as you would use with pencil and paper. Excel also
adheres to the standard order of operations when you have addition, subtraction, and multiplication in a formula:

1. Parentheses
2. Exponents
3. Multiplication
4. Division
5. Addition
6. Subtraction

I always remember this with the mnemonic Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally.

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Bob Flisser has authored many videos and books about Microsoft and Adobe products, and has been a computer trainer since the 1980s. He is also a web and multimedia developer. Bob is a graduate of The George Washington University with a degree in financial economics.