If and search functions in excel

Excel has a number of formulas that help you use your data in useful ways. For example, you can get an output based on whether or not a cell meets certain specifications. Right now, we’ll focus on a function called “if cell contains, then”. Let’s look at an example.

Jump To Specific Section:

  1. Explanation: If Cell Contains
  2. If cell contains any value, then return a value
  3. If cell contains text/number, then return a value
  4. If cell contains specific text, then return a value
  5. If cell contains specific text, then return a value (case-sensitive)
  6. If cell does not contain specific text, then return a value
  7. If cell contains one of many text strings, then return a value
  8. If cell contains several of many text strings, then return a value

Excel Formula: If cell contains

Generic formula 

=IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("abc",A1)),A1,"")

Summary 

To test for cells that contain certain text, you can use a formula that uses the IF function together with the SEARCH and ISNUMBER functions.  In the example shown, the formula in C5 is:

=IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("abc",B5)),B5,"")

If you want to check whether or not the A1 cell contains the text “Example”, you can run a formula that will output “Yes” or “No” in the B1 cell. There are a number of different ways you can put these formulas to use. At the time of writing, Excel is able to return the following variations:

  • If cell contains any value
  • If cell contains text
  • If cell contains number
  • If cell contains specific text
  • If cell contains certain text string
  • If cell contains one of many text strings
  • If cell contains several strings

Using these scenarios, you’re able to check if a cell contains text, value, and more. 

Explanation: If Cell Contains

One limitation of the IF function is that it does not support Excel wildcards like «?» and «*». This simply means you can’t use IF by itself to test for text that may appear anywhere in a cell.

One solution is a formula that uses the IF function together with the SEARCH and ISNUMBER functions. For example, if you have a list of email addresses, and want to extract those that contain «ABC», the formula to use is this:

=IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("abc",B5)),B5,""). Assuming cells run to B5

If «abc» is found anywhere in a cell B5, IF will return that value. If not, IF will return an empty string («»). This formula’s logical test is this bit:

ISNUMBER(SEARCH("abc",B5))


Read article: Excel efficiency: 11 Excel Formulas To Increase Your Productivity

Using “if cell contains” formulas in Excel

The guides below were written using the latest Microsoft Excel 2019 for Windows 10. Some steps may vary if you’re using a different version or platform. Contact our experts if you need any further assistance.

1. If cell contains any value, then return a value

This scenario allows you to return values based on whether or not a cell contains any value at all. For example, we’ll be checking whether or not the A1 cell is blank or not, and then return a value depending on the result.

  • Select the output cell, and use the following formula: =IF(cell<>»», value_to_return, «»).
  • For our example, the cell we want to check is A2, and the return value will be No. In this scenario, you’d change the formula to =IF(A2<>»», «No», «»)
  • Since the A2 cell isn’t blank, the formula will return “No” in the output cell. If the cell you’re checking is blank, the output cell will also remain blank.

2. If cell contains text/number, then return a value

With the formula below, you can return a specific value if the target cell contains any text or number. The formula will ignore the opposite data types.

Check for text

  • To check if a cell contains text, select the output cell, and use the following formula: =IF(ISTEXT(cell), value_to_return, «»).
  • For our example, the cell we want to check is A2, and the return value will be Yes. In this scenario, you’d change the formula to =IF(ISTEXT(A2), «Yes», «»)
    check for txt
  • Because the A2 cell does contain text and not a number or date, the formula will return “Yes” into the output cell.

Check for a number or date

  • To check if a cell contains a number or date, select the output cell, and use the following formula: =IF(ISNUMBER(cell), value_to_return, «»).
  • For our example, the cell we want to check is D2, and the return value will be Yes. In this scenario, you’d change the formula to =IF(ISNUMBER(D2), «Yes», «»)
    check for number or date
  • Because the D2 cell does contain a number and not text, the formula will return “Yes” into the output cell.

3. If cell contains specific text, then return a value

To find a cell that contains specific text, use the formula below.

  • Select the output cell, and use the following formula: =IF(cell=»text», value_to_return, «»).
  • For our example, the cell we want to check is A2, the text we’re looking for is “example”, and the return value will be Yes. In this scenario, you’d change the formula to =IF(A2=»example», «Yes», «»)
    If cell contains specific text, then return a value
  • Because the A2 cell does consist of the text “example”, the formula will return “Yes” into the output cell.

4. If cell contains specific text, then return a value (case-sensitive)

To find a cell that contains specific text, use the formula below. This version is case-sensitive, meaning that only cells with an exact match will return the specified value.

  • Select the output cell, and use the following formula: =IF(EXACT(cell,»case_sensitive_text»), «value_to_return», «»).
  • For our example, the cell we want to check is A2, the text we’re looking for is “EXAMPLE”, and the return value will be Yes. In this scenario, you’d change the formula to =IF(EXACT(A2,»EXAMPLE»), «Yes», «»).
  • Because the A2 cell does consist of the text “EXAMPLE” with the matching case, the formula will return “Yes” into the output cell.

5. If cell does not contain specific text, then return a value

The opposite version of the previous section. If you want to find cells that don’t contain a specific text, use this formula.

  • Select the output cell, and use the following formula: =IF(cell=»text», «», «value_to_return»).
  • For our example, the cell we want to check is A2, the text we’re looking for is “example”, and the return value will be No. In this scenario, you’d change the formula to =IF(A2=»example», «», «No»).
    If cell contains specific text, then return a value (case-sensitive)
  • Because the A2 cell does consist of the text “example”, the formula will return a blank cell. On the other hand, other cells return “No” into the output cell.

6. If cell contains one of many text strings, then return a value

This formula should be used if you’re looking to identify cells that contain at least one of many words you’re searching for.

  • Select the output cell, and use the following formula: =IF(OR(ISNUMBER(SEARCH(«string1», cell)), ISNUMBER(SEARCH(«string2», cell))), value_to_return, «»).
  • For our example, the cell we want to check is A2. We’re looking for either “tshirt” or “hoodie”, and the return value will be Valid. In this scenario, you’d change the formula to =IF(OR(ISNUMBER(SEARCH(«tshirt»,A2)),ISNUMBER(SEARCH(«hoodie»,A2))),»Valid «,»»).
    =IF(OR(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("tshirt",A2)),ISNUMBER(SEARCH("hoodie",A2))),"Valid ","").
  • Because the A2 cell does contain one of the text values we searched for, the formula will return “Valid” into the output cell.

To extend the formula to more search terms, simply modify it by adding more strings using ISNUMBER(SEARCH(«string», cell)).

7. If cell contains several of many text strings, then return a value

This formula should be used if you’re looking to identify cells that contain several of the many words you’re searching for. For example, if you’re searching for two terms, the cell needs to contain both of them in order to be validated.

  • Select the output cell, and use the following formula: =IF(AND(ISNUMBER(SEARCH(«string1»,cell)), ISNUMBER(SEARCH(«string2″,cell))), value_to_return,»»).
  • For our example, the cell we want to check is A2. We’re looking for “hoodie” and “black”, and the return value will be Valid. In this scenario, you’d change the formula to =IF(AND(ISNUMBER(SEARCH(«hoodie»,A2)),ISNUMBER(SEARCH(«black»,A2))),»Valid «,»»).
    =IF(AND(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("hoodie",A2)),ISNUMBER(SEARCH("black",A2))),"Valid ","").
  • Because the A2 cell does contain both of the text values we searched for, the formula will return “Valid” to the output cell.

Final thoughts

We hope this article was useful to you in learning how to use “if cell contains” formulas in Microsoft Excel. Now, you can check if any cells contain values, text, numbers, and more. This allows you to navigate, manipulate and analyze your data efficiently.

We’re glad you’re read the article up to here :) Thank you :)

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IF function

The IF function is one of the most popular functions in Excel, and it allows you to make logical comparisons between a value and what you expect.

So an IF statement can have two results. The first result is if your comparison is True, the second if your comparison is False.

For example, =IF(C2=”Yes”,1,2) says IF(C2 = Yes, then return a 1, otherwise return a 2).

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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.

IF(logical_test, value_if_true, [value_if_false])

For example:

  • =IF(A2>B2,»Over Budget»,»OK»)

  • =IF(A2=B2,B4-A4,»»)

Argument name

Description

logical_test    (required)

The condition you want to test.

value_if_true    (required)

The value that you want returned if the result of logical_test is TRUE.

value_if_false    (optional)

The value that you want returned if the result of logical_test is FALSE.

Simple IF examples

Cell D2 contains a formula =IF(C2="Yes",1,2)

  • =IF(C2=”Yes”,1,2)

In the above example, cell D2 says: IF(C2 = Yes, then return a 1, otherwise return a 2)

Cell D2 contains the formula =IF(C2=1,"YES","NO")

  • =IF(C2=1,”Yes”,”No”)

In this example, the formula in cell D2 says: IF(C2 = 1, then return Yes, otherwise return No)As you see, the IF function can be used to evaluate both text and values. It can also be used to evaluate errors. You are not limited to only checking if one thing is equal to another and returning a single result, you can also use mathematical operators and perform additional calculations depending on your criteria. You can also nest multiple IF functions together in order to perform multiple comparisons.

Formula in cell D2 is =IF(C2>B2,”Over Budget”,”Within Budget”)

  • =IF(C2>B2,”Over Budget”,”Within Budget”)

In the above example, the IF function in D2 is saying IF(C2 Is Greater Than B2, then return “Over Budget”, otherwise return “Within Budget”)

Formula in cell E2 is =IF(C2>B2,C2-B2,"")

  • =IF(C2>B2,C2-B2,0)

In the above illustration, instead of returning a text result, we are going to return a mathematical calculation. So the formula in E2 is saying IF(Actual is Greater than Budgeted, then Subtract the Budgeted amount from the Actual amount, otherwise return nothing).

Formula in Cell F7 is IF(E7=”Yes”,F5*0.0825,0)

  • =IF(E7=”Yes”,F5*0.0825,0)

In this example, the formula in F7 is saying IF(E7 = “Yes”, then calculate the Total Amount in F5 * 8.25%, otherwise no Sales Tax is due so return 0)

Note: If you are going to use text in formulas, you need to wrap the text in quotes (e.g. “Text”). The only exception to that is using TRUE or FALSE, which Excel automatically understands.

Common problems

Problem

What went wrong

0 (zero) in cell

There was no argument for either value_if_true or value_if_False arguments. To see the right value returned, add argument text to the two arguments, or add TRUE or FALSE to the argument.

#NAME? in cell

This usually means that the formula is misspelled.

Need more help?

You can always ask an expert in the Excel Tech Community or get support in the Answers community.

Connect with an expert. Learn from live instructors.

See Also

IF function — nested formulas and avoiding pitfalls

IFS function

Using IF with AND, OR and NOT functions

COUNTIF function

How to avoid broken formulas

Overview of formulas in Excel

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When creating formulas and equations on Microsoft Excel, users have the option of inserting multiple functions and conditions into a formula to attain a desired result. This action is often referred to as nesting. This tutorial will walk you through how to combine the SEARCH, ISERROR and IF functions to scan a document for a particular data piece, and mark it with a particular coding piece in the adjacent column.

How to use nestled functions in Excel?

Before beginning, here is a quick run down of the Microsoft Excel functions needed for this to work.

The SEARCH function is used to find a piece of data in an Excel spreadsheet.

The ISERROR function is used to check for error values.

The IF function specifies a condition within the data.

Nestled loops with the IF logical operator can be implemented to seek out a particular word in a column. Together with the ISERROR and SEARCH functions, this formula will allow you to scan a column for a certain word (e.g. «apple») and place a code (e.g. «A») into the adjacent cell each time the word is found.

Combined SEARCH, IF, and ISERROR Function

N.B. The following formula assumes that your data ranges from A1 to A100 (or beyond). If so, the formula should be placed into column B1 and dragged down. You should adjust the column labels depending on the location of your data.

IF(ISERROR(SEARCH("*apple*",A1,1)),"","A ") F(ISERROR(SEARCH("*orange*",A1,1)),IF(ISERROR(SEARCH("*grapes*",A1,1)),"","C"),"B"),"A")

Need more help with Excel? Check out our forum!

IF function is undoubtedly one of the most important functions in excel. In general, IF statements give the desired intelligence to a program so that it can make decisions based on given criteria and, most importantly, decide the program flow.

In Microsoft Excel terminology, IF statements are also called «Excel IF-Then statements». IF function evaluates a boolean/logical expression and returns one value if the expression evaluates to ‘TRUE’ and another value if the expression evaluates to ‘FALSE’.
EXCEL-IF FUNCTION

Definition of Excel IF Function

According to Microsoft Excel, IF function is defined as a formula which «checks whether a condition is met, returns one value if true and another value if false».

Syntax

Syntax of IF function in Excel is as follows:

=IF(logic_test, [value_if_true], [value_if_false])

'logic_test' (required argument) – Refers to the boolean expression or logical expression that needs to be evaluated.
'value_if_true' (optional argument) – Refers to the value that will be returned by the IF function if the 'logic_test' evaluates to TRUE.
'value_if_false' (optional argument) – Refers to the value that will be returned by the IF function if the 'logic_test' evaluates to FALSE.

Excel If Formula Animation

Important Characteristics of IF Function in Excel

  • To use the IF function, you need to provide the 'logic_test' or conditional statement mandatorily.
  • The arguments 'value_if_true'and 'value_if_false' are optional, but you need to provide at least one of them.
  • The result of the IF statement can only be any one of the two given values (either it will be 'value_if_true' or 'value_if_false'). Both values cannot be returned at the same time.
  • IF function throws a ‘#Name?’ error if the'logic_test' or boolean expression you are trying to evaluate is invalid.
  •  Nesting of IF statements is possible, but Excel only allows this to 64 levels. Nesting of IF statement means using one if statement within another.

Comparison Operators That Can Be Used With IF Statements

Following comparison operators can be used within the 'logic_test' argument of the IF function:

  • = (equal to)
  • <> (not equal to)
  • < (less than)
  • > (greater than)
  • >= (greater than or equal to)
  • <= (less than or equal to)
  • Apart from these, you can also use any other function that returns a boolean result (either ‘true’ or ‘false’). For example – ISBLANK, ISERROR, ISEVEN, ISODD, etc

Now, let’s see some simple examples to use these comparison operators within the IF Function:

Simple Examples of Excel IF Statement

Now, let’s try to see a simple example of the Excel IF function:

Example 1: Using ‘equal to’ comparison operator within the IF function

In this example, we have a list of colors, and we aim to find the ‘Blue’ color. If we are able to find the ‘Blue’ color, then in the adjacent cell, we need to assign a ‘Yes’; otherwise, assign a ‘No’.

if statement excel with equal to operator

So, the formula would be:

=IF(A2="Blue", "No", "Yes")

This suggests that if the value present in cell A2 is ‘Blue’, then return a ‘Yes’; otherwise, return a ‘No’.

If we drag this formula down to all the rows, we will find that it returns ‘Yes’ for the cells with the value ‘Blue’ for all others; it would result in ‘No’.

Example 2: Using ‘not equal to’ comparison operator within the IF function.

Let’s take example 1, and understand how we can reverse the logic and use a ‘not equal to’ operator to construct the formula so that it still results in ‘Yes’ for ‘Blue’ color and ‘No’ for any other text.

if formula in excel with not equal to operator

So the formula would be:

=IF(A2<>"Blue", "No", "Yes")

This suggests that if the value at A2 is not equal to ‘Blue’, then return a ‘No’; otherwise, return a ‘Yes’.

When dragged down to all the below rows, this formula would find all the cells (from A2 to A8) where the value is not ‘Blue’ and marks a ‘No’ against them. Otherwise, it marks a ‘Yes’ in the adjacent cells.

Example 3: Using ‘less than’ operator within the IF function.

In this example, we have scores of some students, along with their names. We want to assign either «Pass» or «Fail» against each student in the result column.

if function excel with less than operator

Based on our criteria, the passing score is 50 or more.

For this, we can use the IF function as:

=IF(B2<50,"Fail","Pass")

This suggests that if the value at B2, i.e., 37, is less than 50, then return «Fail»; otherwise, return «Pass».

As 37 is less than 50 so the result will be «Fail».

We can drag the above-given formula for the rest of the cells below and the result would be correct.

Example 4: Using ‘greater than or equal to’ operator within the IF statement.

Let’s take example 3 and see how we can reverse the logic and use a ‘greater than or equal to’ operator to construct the formula so that it still results in ‘Pass’ for scores of 50 or more and ‘Fail’ for all the other scores.

how to use if function in excel with greater than equal to operator

For this, we can use the Excel IF function as:

=IF(B2>=50,"Pass","Fail")

This suggests that if the value at B2, i.e., 37 is greater than or equal to 50, then return «Pass»; otherwise, return «Fail».

As 37 not greater than or equal to 50 so the result will be «Fail».

When dragged down for the rest of the cells below, this formula would assign the correct result in the adjacent rows.

Example 5: Using ‘greater than’ operator within the IF statement.

In this example, we have a small online store that gives a discount to its customers based on the amount they spend. If a customer spends $50 or more, he is applicable for a 5% discount; otherwise, no discounts are offered.

using if function in excel with greater than operator

To find whether a discount is offered or not, we can use the following excel formula:

=IF(B2>50,"5% Discount","No Discount")

This translates to – If the value at B2 cell is greater than 50, assign a text «5% Discount» otherwise, assign a text «No Discount» against the customer.

In the first case, as 23 is not greater than 50, the output will be «No Discount».

We can drag the above-given formula for the rest of the cells below are the result would be correct.

Example 6: Using ‘less than or equal to’ operator within the IF statement.

Let’s take example 5 and see how we can reverse the logic and use a ‘less than or equal to’ operator to construct the formula so that it still results in a ‘5% Discount’ for all customers whose total spend exceeds $50 and ‘No Discount’ for all the other customers.

excel if else formula with less than equal to operator

For this, we can use the IF-then statement as:

=IF(B2<=50,"No Discount","5% Discount")

This means that if the value at B2, i.e., 23, is less than or equal to 50, then return «No Discount»; otherwise, return «5% Discount».

As 23 is less than or equal to 50 so the result will be «No Discount».

When dragged down for the rest of the cells below, this formula would assign the correct result in the adjacent rows.

Example 7: Using an Excel Logical Function within the IF formula in Excel.

In this example, let’s suppose we have a list of numbers, and we have to mark Even and Odd numbers. We can do this using the IF condition and the ISEVEN or ISODD inbuilt functions provided by Microsoft Excel.

ISEVEN function returns ‘true’ if the number passed to it is even; otherwise, it returns a ‘false’. Similarly, ISODD function return ‘true’ if the number passed to it is odd; otherwise, it returns a ‘false’.

how to do if statements in excel with another function as logic test

For this, we can use the IF-then statement as:

=IF(ISEVEN(A2),"Even","Odd")

This means that – If the value at A2 cell is an even number, then the result would be «Even»; otherwise, the result would be «Odd».

Alternatively, the above logic can also be written using the ISODD function along with the IF statement as:

=IF(ISODD(A2),"Odd","Even")

This means that – If the value at A2 cell is an odd number, then the result would be «Odd»; otherwise, the result would be «Even».

Example 8: Using the Excel IF function to return another formula a result.

In this example, we have Employee Data from a company. The company comes up with a simple way to reward its loyal employees. They decide to give the employees an annual bonus based on the years spent by the employee within the organization.

Employees with experience of more than 5 years are given 10% of annual salary as a bonus whereas everyone else gets a 5% of annual salary as a bonus.

Excel IF function to return another formula a result

For this, the excel formula would be:

=IF(B2>5,C2*10%,C2*5%)

This means that – if the value at B2 (experience column) is greater than 5, then return a result by calculating 10% of C2 (annual salary column). However, if the logic test is evaluated to false, then return the result by calculating 5% of C2 (annual salary column)

Use Of AND & OR Functions or Logical Operators with Excel IF Statement

Excel IF Statement can also be used along with the other functions like AND, OR, NOT for analyzing complex logic. These functions (AND, OR & NOT) are called logical operators as they are used for connecting two or more logical expressions.

AND Function– AND function returns true when all the conditions inside the AND function evaluate to true. The syntax of AND Function in Excel is:

=AND(Logic1, Logic2, logic_n)

OR Function– OR function returns true when any one of the conditions inside the OR function evaluates to true. The syntax of OR Function in Excel is:

=OR(Logic1, Logic2, logic_n)

Example 9: Using the IF function along with AND Function.

In this example, we have Math and science test scores of some students, and we want to assign a ‘Pass’ or ‘Fail’ value against the students based on their scores.

Passing criteria: Students have to get more than 50 marks in Math and more than 70 marks in science to pass the test.

if and statement excel

Based on the above conditions, the formula would be:

=IF(AND(B2>50,C2>70),"Pass","Fail")

The formula translates to – if the value at B2 (Math score) is greater than 50 and the value at C2 (Science Score) is greater than 70, then assign the value «Pass»; otherwise, assign the value «Fail».

Example 10: Using the IF function along with OR Function.

In this example, we have two test scores of some students, and we want to assign a ‘Pass’ or ‘Fail’ value against the students based on their scores.

Passing criteria: Students have to clear either one of the two tests with more than 50 marks.

if or statement excel

Based on the above conditions, the formula would be:

=IF(OR(B2>50,C2>50),"Pass","Fail")

The formula translates to – if either the value at B2 (Test 1 score) is greater than 50, OR the value at C2 (Test 2 Score) is greater than 50, then assign the value «Pass»; otherwise, assign the value «Fail».

Recommended Reading: Excel NOT Function

Nested IF Statements

When used alone, IF formula can only result in two outcomes, i.e., True or False. But there are many cases when we want to test multiple outcomes with IF statement.

In such cases, nesting two or more IF Then statements one inside another can be convenient in writing formulas.

Syntax:

The syntax of the Nested IF Then statements is as follows:

=IF(condition_1,value_if_true_1,IF(condition_2,value_if_true_2,value_if_false_2))

'condition_1' – Refers to the first logical test or conditional expression that needs to be evaluated by the outer IF function.
'value_if_true_1' – Refers to the value that will be returned by the outer IF function if the 'condition_1' evaluates to TRUE.
'condition_2' – Refers to the second logical test or conditional expression that needs to be evaluated by the inner IF function.
'value_if_true_2' – Refers to the value that will be returned by the inner IF function if the 'condition_2' evaluates to TRUE.
'value_if_false_2' – Refers to the value that will be returned by the inner IF function if the 'condition_2' evaluates to FALSE.

The above syntax translates to this:

IF Condition1 = true THEN value_if_true1 'If Condition1 is true
ELSE IF Condition2 = true THEN value_if_true2 'Elseif Clause Condition2 is true
ELSE value_if_false2 'If both conditions are false
END IF 'End of IF Statement

As we can see, Nested formulas can quickly become complicated so, let’s try to understand how nesting of the IF statement works with an example.

Recommended Reading: VBA Select Case Statement

Example 11: Nested IF Statements

In this example, we have a list of countries and their average temperatures in degree Celsius for the month of January. Our goal is to categorize the country based on the temperature range as follows:

Criteria: Temperatures below 20 °C should be marked as «Below Room Temperature», temperatures between 20°C to 25°C should be classified as «Normal Room Temperature», whereas any temperature over 25°C should be marked as «Above Room Temperature».

nested if statements excel

Based on the above conditions, the formula would be:

=IF(B2<20,"Below Room Temperature",IF(AND(B2>=20,B2<=25),"Normal Room Temperature", "Above Room Temperature"))

The formula translates to – if the value at B2 is less than 20, then the text «Below Room Temperature» is returned from the outer IF block. However, if the value at B2 is greater than or equal to 20, then the inner IF block is evaluated.

Inside the inner IF block, the value at B2 is checked. If the value at B2 is greater than or equal to 20 and less than or equal to 25. Then the inner IF block returns the text «Normal Room Temperature».

However, if the condition inside the inner IF block also evaluates to ‘false’ that means the value at B2 is greater than 25, so the result will be «Above Room Temperature».

Recommended Reading: SWITCH Function in Excel

Partial Matching or Wildcards with IF Function

Although IF function itself doesn’t accept any wildcard characters like (* or ?) while performing the logic test, thankfully, there are ways to perform partial matching and wildcard searches with the IF function.

To perform partial matching inside the IF function, we can use the FIND (case sensitive) or SEARCH (case insensitive) functions.

Let’s have a look at this with some examples.

Example 12: Using FIND and SEARCH functions inside the IF statement

In this example, we have a list of customers, and we need to find all the customers whose last name is «Flynn». If the customer name contains the text «Flynn», then we need to assign a text «Found» against their names. Otherwise, we need to assign a text «Not Found».

if function with find and search functions

For this, we can make use of the FIND function within the IF function as:

=IF(ISNUMBER(FIND("Flynn",A2)),"Found","Not Found")

Using the FIND function, we perform a case-sensitive search of the text «Flynn» within the customer name column. If the FIND function is able to find the text «Flynn», it returns a number signifying the position where it found the text.

If the number returned by the FIND function is valid, the ISNUMBER Function returns a value true. Else, it returns false. Based on the ISNUMBER function’s output, the logic test is performed and the appropriate value «Found» or «Not Found» is assigned.

Note: It should be noted that the FIND function performs a case-sensitive search.

This means in the above example if the customer name is entered in lower case (like «sean flynn» then the above function would return not found against them.

To perform a case-insensitive search, we can replace the find function with the search function, and the rest of the formula would be the same.

=IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("Flynn",A2)),"Found","Not Found")

Example 13: Using SEARCH function inside the Excel IF formula with wildcard operators

In this example, we have the same customer list from example 12, and we need to find all the customers whose name contains «M». If the customer name contains the alphabet «M», we need to assign a text «M Found» against their names. Otherwise, we need to assign a text «M Not Found».

If Formula search with Wildcard characters or pattern matching

For this, we can use the SEARCH function with a wildcard ‘*’ operator inside the IF function as:

=IF(ISNUMBER(SEARCH("M*",A2)),"M Found","M Not Found")

For more details on Search Function and wildcard, operators check out this article – Search Function In Excel

Some Practical Examples of using the IF function

Now, let’s have a look at some more practical examples of the Excel IF Function.

Example 14: Using Excel IF function with dates.

In this example, we have a task list along with the task due dates. Our goal is to show results based on the task due date.

If the task due date was in the past, we need to show «Was due {1,2,3..} day(s) back», if the task due date is today’s date, we need to show «Today» and similarly, if the task due date is in the future then we need to show «Due in {1,2,3..} day(s)»

If Formula in Excel with Dates
In Microsoft Excel, we can do this with the help of the IF-then statement and TODAY function, as shown below:

=IF(B2=TODAY(),"Today", IF(B2>TODAY(),CONCAT("Due in ",B2-TODAY()," day(s)"), CONCAT("Was due ",TODAY()-B2," day(s) back")))

This means that – compare the date present in cell B2 if the date is equal to today’s date show the text «Today». If the date in cell B2 is not equal to today’s date, then the inner IF block checks if the date in B2 is greater than today’s date. If the date in cell B2 is greater than today’s date, that means the date is in the future, so show the text «Due in {1,2,3…} days».

However, if the date in cell B2 is not greater than today’s date, that means the date was in the past; in such a case, show the text «Was due {1,2,3..} day(s) back».

You can also go a step further and apply conditional formatting on the range and highlight all the cells with the text «Today!». This will help you to clearly see

Example 15: Use an IF function-based formula to find blank cells in excel.

In this example, we will use the IF function to find the blank cells in Microsoft Excel. We have a list of customers, and in between the list, some of the cells are blank. We aim to find the blank cells and add the text «blank call found!» against them.

Find Blank Cells In Excel Using If Function

We can do this with the help of the IF function along with the ISBLANK function. The ISBLANK function returns a true if the cell reference passed to it is blank. Otherwise, the ISBLANK function returns false.

Let’s see the formula –

=IF(ISBLANK(A2), "Blank cell found!"," ")

This means that – If the cell at A2 is blank, then the resultant text should be «Blank cell found!», however, if the cell at A2 is not blank, then don’t show any text.

Example 16: Use the Excel IF statement to show symbolic results (instead of textual results).

In this example, we have a list of sales employees of a company along with the number of products sold by the employees in the current month. We want to show an upward arrow symbol (↑) if the employee has done more than 50 sales and a downward arrow symbol (↓) if the employee has made less than 50 sales.

Showing symbols with If function In excel instead of text

To do this, we can use the formula:

=IF(B2>50,$G$6,$G$8)

This implies – If the value at B2 is greater than 50, then, as a result, show the content in cell G6 (cell containing upward arrow) and otherwise show the content at G8 (cell containing downward arrow)

If you wonder about the ‘$’ signs used in the formula, you can check out this post – Excel Absolute References. These ‘$’ symbols are used for making excel cell references absolute.

Recommended Reading: CHOOSE Function in Excel

IFS Function In Excel:

IFS Function in Microsoft Excel is a great alternative to nested IF Statements. It is very similar to a switch statement. The IFS function evaluates multiple conditions passed to it and returns the value corresponding to the first condition that evaluates to true.

IFS function is a lot simple to write and read than nested IF statements. IFS function is available in Office 2019 and higher versions.

Syntax for IFS function:

=IFS (test1, value1, [test2, value2], ...)

'test1' (required argument) – Refers to the first logical test that needs to be evaluated.

'value1' (required argument) – Refers to the result to be returned when 'test1'evaluates to TRUE.

'test2' (optional argument) – Refers to the second logical test that needs to be evaluated

'value2' (optional argument) – Refers to the result to be returned when 'test2'evaluates to TRUE.

Example 17: Using IFS function in Excel

In this example, we have a list of students, along with their scores, and we need to assign a grade to the students based on the scores.

The grading criteria is as follows – Grade A for a score of 90 or more, Grade B for a score between 80 to 89.99, Grade C for a score between 70 to 79.99, Grade D for a score between 60 to 69.99, Grade E for a score between 60 to 59.99, Grade F for a score lower than 50.

IFS Function Excel Alternative To Nested If Functions

Let’s see how easily write such a complicated formula with the IFS function:

=IFS(B2 >= 90,"A",B2 >= 80,"B",B2 >= 70,"C",B2 >= 60,"D",B2 >= 50,"E",B2 < 50,"F")

This implies that – If B2 is greater than or equal to 90, return A. Else if B2 is greater than or equal to 80, return B. Else if B2 is greater than or equal to 70, return C. Else if B2 is greater than or equal to 60, return D. Else if B2 is greater than or equal to 50, return E. Else if B2 is less than 50, return F.

If you would try to write the same formula using nested IF statements, see how long and complicated it becomes:

=IF(B2 >= 90,"A",IF(B2 >= 80, "B",IF(B2 >= 70, "C",IF(B2 >= 60, "D",IF(B2 >= 50, "E",IF(B2 < 50, "F"))))))

So, this was all about the IF function in excel. If you want to learn more about IF function, I would recommend you to go through this article – VBA IF Statement With Examples

What is IF Function in Excel?

IF function in Excel evaluates whether a given condition is met and returns a value depending on whether the result is “true” or “false”. It is a conditional function of Excel, which returns the result based on the fulfillment or non-fulfillment of the given criteria.

For example, the IF formula in Excel can be applied as follows:

 “=IF(condition A,“value B”,“value C”)”

 The IF excel function returns “value B” if condition A is met and returns “value C” if condition A is not met.

It is often used to make logical interpretations which help in decision-making.

Table of contents
  • What is IF Function in Excel?
    • Syntax of the IF Excel Function
    • How to Use IF Function in Excel?
      • Example #1
      • Example #2
      • Example #3
      • Example #4
      • Example #5
    • Guidelines for the Multiple IF Statements
    • Frequently Asked Question
    • IF Excel Function Video
    • Recommended Articles

Syntax of the IF Excel Function

The syntax of the IF function is shown in the following image:

Excel IF Formula

The IF excel function accepts the following arguments:

  • Logical_test: It refers to the condition to be evaluated. The condition can be a value or a logical expression.
  • Value_if_true: It is the value returned as a result when the condition is “true”.
  • Value_if_false: It is the value returned as a result when the condition is “false”.

In the formula, the “logical_test” is a required argument, whereas the “value_if_true” and “value_if_false” are optional arguments.

The IF formula uses logical operators to evaluate the values in a range of cells. The following table shows the different logical operatorsLogical operators in excel are also known as the comparison operators and they are used to compare two or more values, the return output given by these operators are either true or false, we get true value when the conditions match the criteria and false as a result when the conditions do not match the criteria.read more and their meaning.

Operator Meaning
= Equal to
> Greater than
>= Greater than or equal to
< Less than
<= Less than or equal to
<> Not equal to

How to Use IF Function in Excel?

Let us understand the working of the IF function with the help of the following examples in Excel.

You can download this IF Function Excel Template here – IF Function Excel Template

Example #1

If there is no oxygen on a planet, life is impossible. If oxygen is available on a planet, then life is possible. The following table shows a list of planets in column A and the information on the availability of oxygen in column B. We have to find the planets where life is possible, based on the condition of oxygen availability.

IF Function Example 1

Let us apply the IF formula to cell C2 to find out whether life is possible on the planets listed in the table.

The IF formula is stated as follows:

“=IF(B2=“Yes”, “Life is Possible”, “Life is Not Possible”)

The succeeding image shows the IF formula applied to cell C2.

IF Function Example 1-2

The subsequent image shows how the IF formula is applied to the range of cells C2:C5.

IF Function Example 1-4

Drag the cells to view the output of all the planets.

IF Function Example 1-3

The output in the below worksheet shows life is possible on the planet Earth.

Flow Chart of Generic IF Excel Function

Flow Chart of IF Function

The IF Function Flow Chart for Mars (Example #1)

Flow Chart of IF Function 1

The flow of IF function flowchart for Jupiter and Venus is the same as the IF function flowchart for Mars (Example #1).

The IF Function Flow Chart for Earth

Flow Chart of IF Function 2

Hence, the IF excel function allows making logical comparisons between values. The modus operandi of the IF function is stated as: If something is true, then do something; otherwise, do something else.

Example #2

The following table shows a list of years. We want to find out if the given year is a leap year or not.

A leap year has 366 days; the extra day is the 29th of February. The criteria for a leap year are stated as follows:

  1. The year will be exactly divisible by 4 and not exactly be divisible by 100 or
  2. The year will be exactly divisible by 400.

IF Function Example 2

In this example, we will use the IF function along with the AND, OR, and MOD functions to find the leap years.

We use the MOD function to find a remainder after a dividend is divided by a divisor.

The AND functionThe AND function in Excel is classified as a logical function; it returns TRUE if the specified conditions are met, otherwise it returns FALSE.read more evaluates both the conditions of the leap years for the value “true”. The OR functionThe OR function in Excel is used to test various conditions, allowing you to compare two values or statements in Excel. If at least one of the arguments or conditions evaluates to TRUE, it will return TRUE. Similarly, if all of the arguments or conditions are FALSE, it will return FASLE.read more evaluates either of the condition for the value “true”.

We will apply the MOD function to the conditions as follows:

If MOD(year,4)=0 and MOD(year,100)<>(is not equal to) 0, then the year is a leap year.

or

If MOD(year,400)=0, then the year is a leap year; otherwise, the year is not a leap year.

The IF formula is stated as follows:

“=IF(OR(AND((MOD(year,4)=0),(MOD(year,100)<>0)),(MOD(year,400)=0)),“Leap Year”, “Not A Leap Year”)”

The argument “year” refers to a reference value.

The following images show the output of the IF formula applied in the range of cells.

IF Function Example 2-1

IF Function Example 2-2

The following image shows how the IF formula is applied to the range of cells B2:B18.

IF Function Example 2-4

The succeeding table shows the years 1960, 2028, and 2148 as leap years and the remaining as non-leap years.

IF Function Example 2-3

The result of the IF excel formula is displayed for the range of cells B2:B18 in the following image.

IF Function Example 2-5

Example #3

The succeeding table shows a list of drivers and the directions they undertook to reach the destination.  It is preceded by an image of the road intersection explaining the turns taken by the drivers and their destinations. The right turn leads to town B, and the left turn leads to town C. Identify the driver’s destination to town B and town C.

Road Intersection Image

IF Function (Destination Example)

IF Function Example 3-1

Let us apply the IF excel function to find the destination. Here, the condition is mentioned as follows:

  • If the driver turns right, he/she reaches town B.
  • If the driver turns left, he/she reaches town C.

We use the following IF formula to find the destination:

 “=IF(B2=“Left”, “Town C”, “Town B”)”

The succeeding image shows the output of the IF formula applied to cell C2.

IF Function Example 3-2

Drag the cells to use the formula in the range C2:C11. Finally, we get the destinations of each driver for their turning movements.

The below image displays the IF formula applied to the range.

IF Function Example 3-3

The output of the IF formula and the destinations are displayed in the succeeding image.

IF Function Example 3-4

The result shows that six drivers reached town C, and the remaining four have reached town B.

Example #4

The following table shows a list of items and their inventory levels. We want to check if the specific item is available in the inventory or not using the IF function.

Example 4

Let us list the name of items in column A and the number of items in column B. The list of data to be validated for the entire items list is shown in the cell E2 of the below image.

Example 4-1

We use the Excel IF along with the VLOOKUP functionThe VLOOKUP excel function searches for a particular value and returns a corresponding match based on a unique identifier. A unique identifier is uniquely associated with all the records of the database. For instance, employee ID, student roll number, customer contact number, seller email address, etc., are unique identifiers.
read more
to check the availability of the items in the inventory.

The VLOOKUP function looks up the values referring to the number of items, and the IF function will check whether the item number is greater than zero or not.

We will apply the following IF formula in the F2 cell:

“=IF(VLOOKUP(E2,A2:B11,2,0)=0, “Item Not Available”,“Item Available”)”

If the lookup value of an item is equal to 0, then the item is not available; else, the item is available.

The succeeding image shows the result of the IF formula in the cell F2.

Example 4-2

Select “bat” in the E2 item cell to know whether the item is available or not in the inventory (as shown in the following image).

Example 4-3

Example #5

The following table shows the list of students and their marks. The grade criteria are provided based on the marks obtained by the students.  We want to find the grade of each student in the list.

Example 4-4

We apply the  Nested IF in Excel since we have multiple criteria to find and decide each student’s grade.

The Nesting of IF function uses the IF function inside another IF formula when multiple conditions are to be fulfilled.

The syntax of Nesting of IF function is stated as follows:

“=IF( condition1, value_if_true1, IF( condition2, value_if_true2, value_if_false2 ))”

The succeeding table represents the range of scores and the grades, respectively.

Example 4-5

Let us apply the multiple IF conditions with AND function in the below-nested formula to find out the grade of the students:

“=IF((B2>=95),“A”,IF(AND(B2>=85,B2<=94),“B”,IF(AND(B2>=75,B2<=84),“C”,IF(AND(B2>=61,B2<=74),“D”,“F”))))”

The IF function checks the logical condition as shown in the formula below:

“=IF(logical_test, [value_if_true],[value_if_false])”

We will split the above-mentioned nested formula and check the IF statements as shown below:

First Logical Test: B2>=95

If the formula returns,

  • Value_if_true, execute: “A” (Grade A) else(comma) enter value_if_false
  • Value_if_false, then the formula finds another IF condition and enter IF condition

Second Logical Test: B2>=85(logical expression 1) and B2<=94(logical expression 2)

(We use AND function to check the multiple logical expressions as the two given conditions are to be evaluated for “true.”)

If the formula returns,

  • Value_if_true,  execute: “B” (Grade B) else(comma) enter value_if_false
  • Value_if_false, then the formula finds another IF condition and enter IF condition

Third Logical Test: B2>=75(logical expression 1) and B2<=84(logical expression 2)

(We use AND function to check the multiple logical expressions as the two given conditions are to be evaluated for “true.”)

If the formula returns,

  • Value_if_true,  execute: “C” (Grade C) else(comma) enter value_if_false
  • value_if_false, then the formula finds another IF condition and enter IF condition

Fourth Logical Test: B2>=61(logical expression 1) and B2<=74(logical expression 2)

(We use AND function to check the multiple logical expressions as the two given conditions are to be evaluated for “true.”)

If the formula returns,

  • Value_if_true, execute: “D” (Grade D) else(comma) enter value_if_false
  • Value_if_false, execute: “F” (Grade F)
  • Finally, close the parenthesis.

 The below image displays the output of the IF formula applied to the range.

Example 4-6

The succeeding image shows the IF nested formula applied to the range.

Example 4-7

The grades of the students are listed in the following table.

Example 4-8

Guidelines for the Multiple IF Statements

The guidelines for the multiple IF statements are listed as follows:

  • Use nested IF function to a limited extent as multiple IF statements require a great deal of thought to be accurate.
  • Multiple IF statementsIn Excel, multiple IF conditions are IF statements that are contained within another IF statement. They are used to test multiple conditions at the same time and return distinct values. Additional IF statements can be included in the ‘value if true’ and ‘value if false’ arguments of a standard IF formula.read more require multiple parentheses (), which is often difficult to manage. Excel provides a way to check the color of each opening and closing parenthesis to avoid this situation. The last closing parenthesis color will always be black, denoting the end of the formula statement.
  • Whenever we pass a string value for the arguments “value_if_true” and “value_if_false” or test a reference against a string value, enclose the string value in double quotes. Passing a string value without quotes will result in “#NAME?” error.

Frequently Asked Question

1. What is the IF function in Excel?

The Excel IF function is a logical function that checks the given criteria and returns one value for a “true” and another value for a “false” result.

The syntax of the IF function is stated as follows:
“=IF(logical_test, [value_if_true], [value_if_false])”

The arguments are as follows:
1. Logical_test – It refers to a value or condition that is tested.
2. Value_if_true – It is the value returned when the condition logical_test is “true.”
3. Value_if_false – It is the value returned when the condition logical_test is “false.”

The “logical_test” is a required argument, whereas the “value_if_true” and “value_if_false” are optional arguments.

2. How to use the IF Excel function with multiple conditions?

The IF Excel statement for multiple conditions is created by using multiple IF functions in a single formula.

The syntax of IF function with multiple conditions is stated as follows:

“=IF (condition 1_“true”, do something, IF (condition 2_“true”, do something, IF (condition 3_ “true”, do something, else do something)))”

3. How to use the function IFERROR in Excel?

IF Excel Function Video

Recommended Articles

This has been a guide to the IF function in Excel. Here we discuss how to use the IF function along with examples and downloadable templates. You may also look at these useful functions –

  • What is the Logical Test in Excel?A logical test in Excel results in an analytical output, either true or false. The equals to operator, “=,” is the most commonly used logical test.read more
  • “Not Equal to” in Excel“Not Equal to” argument in excel is inserted with the expression <>. The two brackets posing away from each other command excel of the “Not Equal to” argument, and the user then makes excel checks if two values are not equal to each other.read more
  • Data Validation ExcelThe data validation in excel helps control the kind of input entered by a user in the worksheet.read more

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