The Top 6 Excel Logical Functions You Need to Know About
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Excel’s logical functions are the backbone of Excel formulas; data analysis is incomplete without these functions. You must turn to logical functions whenever you work with dynamic elements and want to assign a logical value based on another value/condition.
Like any other programming language, Excel offers a suite of logical functions that simplify the user’s life. If you are working with conditional data and want Excel to perform some calculations for you automatically, then it’s time to master these logical formulas.
What Are Excel’s Logical Functions?
Excel offers a variety of functions to the end users. Out of all the available functions, logical operations are the most widely used because they add extensive value to your data. You can assign conditional logic on the go, without worrying about calculating and assigning relevant values for each data cell.
Some commonly used logical functions include the following:
You can use the above functions individually and with the IF statements. When you use them with the IF statement, you get powerful conditional statements, which can take your formulas up a notch and make you an expert data analyst.
1. IF Statement
The IF statement is the most basic function within Excel, but it nonetheless packs a punch. When assigning condition-based values, you turn to Excel’s IF statement, the primary function for logical conditions.
Depending on the type and usage of the IF function, you will get a relevant result from your formula. To enhance your usage and formula quality, you can use two types of IF statements:
A. The Single IF Statement
The standalone IF statement is ideal when checking a single condition. Specify the condition; depending on this condition, the IF statement will return a True/False value.
Here’s how you can use the IF statement with a single criterion:
Example: When the condition value is 1, the result is Good, and alternatively, it’s Bad when the condition value is 2.
B. Nested IF Statement
Using theIF function with the Nested IF function in Excelis easy. The Nested IF function allows you to pass multiple conditions in a formula. it’s possible to specify various conditions and the resulting True/False values with an additional IF statement.
Here’s the formula for using nested IF statements:
Add the requisite number of closing brackets at the end of your formula to close all your IF functions.
Example: If you have multiple conditions like 1, 2, and 3 and want to assign a related value to each number, you can use the nested IF function as follows:
Depending on your condition value, a value is assigned automatically.
2. IFS Function
The IFS function is a relatively straightforward logical function, as it is easier to read, and you can efficiently compute multiple conditions simultaneously.
However, the IFS function evaluates all the defined conditions, unlike its counterpart, which evaluates only one condition during execution. You can use the IFS function as shown below:
In the IFS function, you must define every True and False value.
3. IFERROR Function
As the name suggests, you can use the IFERROR function to handle any inherent errors whenever you encounter one. For example, dividing a number by 0 gives you a #DIV/0! error in Excel.
Alternatively, when you use the VLOOKUP function in Excel, you will get a #N/A error every time you get a non-matching/blank value result. To trap these errors and display an alternate value, you can use the IFERROR function.
Here’s the syntax for reference:
Example: When you divide the Numerator by the Denominator column values, you get the #DIV/0! error. You can use the IFERROR to display an alternate value (0 in the below example), as soon as the formula results in error.
4. AND Function
The AND function is a part of the IF function, and you can use it to define two or more dependent conditions in an IF formula. Suppose you have to display a result, on basis of two criteria within your formula:
Before assigning the True value, the formula will check if criteria 1 and 2 are met. If either of the conditions is not met, it will automatically move to the latter part of the formula, the defined False value.
When you have more than two conditions, you can tweak the above formula; instead of two, specify three or more conditions with the AND clause. Here’s the syntax for reference:
Example: In the following example, when the values in First Condition and Second Condition columns are equal to 1, the result is Good, else it’s Bad.
5. OR Function
The OR function is multi-faceted, giving you a lot of liberty to extend your logical operations. Unlike the AND function, the OR function will provide a result if any specified conditions are True. Alternatively, you will get the specified False value if the conditions aren’t met.
Here’s how you may use the OR function with multiple conditions within an IF function:
Example:The output shows Good since a specified condition is True within the OR function.
6. NOT Function
What happens when you have a lot of values and want to reverse your conditional checks? Instead of specifying all the values in the formula, it’s possible to use the NOT function with the IF function to simplify your formulas.
You can think of the NOT function as a reverse function, and it works well when you want to specify the opposite conditions within your IF statements. Here’s the basic syntax of a NOT function in Excel:
Example:In the example below, the condition looks for the opposite of 1 and displays Bad as soon as the condition is True.
Excel Is Every Beginner’s Friendly Functional Tool
Microsoft’s Excel offers a variety of functions for beginners and advanced users alike. Given its widespread usage, there is a lot to look forward to in Excel. If you start with Excel, you should learn the most basic functions and move up the ladder slowly to master the tool.
Wondering how to step up your Excel game? Here are the essential functions you need to know to boost your spreadsheet skills!
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