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IF Formula: 10 Practical Examples for Excel, Calc & Sheets

The IF function is one of the most versatile functions in Excel, LibreOffice Calc, and Google Sheets. It allows you to perform logical tests and return different values based on whether a condition is TRUE or FALSE.

IF Formula Syntax

=IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value_if_false)

10 Practical IF Formula Examples

1. Basic IF Statement

Check if a value is greater than 100:

=IF(A1>100, "High", "Low")

2. IF with Text Comparison

Check if a cell contains specific text:

=IF(A1="Yes", "Approved", "Pending")

3. IF with AND Function

Check multiple conditions (both must be true):

=IF(AND(A1>50, B1>50), "Pass", "Fail")

4. IF with OR Function

Check multiple conditions (either can be true):

=IF(OR(A1>100, B1>100), "Bonus", "Regular")

5. Nested IF Statements

Multiple conditions with nested IFs:

=IF(A1>=90, "A", IF(A1>=80, "B", IF(A1>=70, "C", "F")))

6. IF with Calculations

Perform calculations based on conditions:

=IF(A1>100, A1*1.1, A1*1.05)

7. IF with ISBLANK

Check if a cell is empty:

=IF(ISBLANK(A1), "No Data", A1)

8. IF with SUM

Conditional summing:

=IF(SUM(A1:A10)>1000, "Target Met", "Target Not Met")

9. IF for Date Comparisons

Check if a date is in the past:

=IF(A1

10. IF with VLOOKUP

Combine IF with VLOOKUP for error handling:

=IF(ISNA(VLOOKUP(A1, B:C, 2, FALSE)), "Not Found", VLOOKUP(A1, B:C, 2, FALSE))

Tips for Using IF Formulas

  • Always use quotes for text values: "Yes", not Yes
  • Use parentheses to group conditions in complex formulas
  • Consider using IFS function (Excel 2016+) for multiple conditions instead of nested IFs
  • Test your formulas with different values to ensure they work correctly

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Conclusion

The IF function is essential for conditional logic in spreadsheets. Whether you're grading exams, calculating bonuses, or filtering data, IF formulas make your spreadsheets dynamic and intelligent.