IF STATEMENTS
Excel has a number of built-in functions that we will be employing. Probably the most useful
single function is the IF statement that allows you to create equations that determine what result
will occur based upon decision criteria. The general form of the function is
=IF(logical test, value if true, value if false)
The logical test is generally used with numerical values, but can also be used with text and
other functions. If the logical test is true, then the calculation/instructions/value placed following
the first comma is executed, whereas if the logical test is false, the calculation/instructions/value
following the second comma is executed. The value if true (false) positions can contain
additional functions, including more IF statements. Beginning with Excel 2003, the limitation of
nested functions has been expanded to sixty-four. The term “levels” refers to nested functions
within sequential functions, not the total. For instance, there could be 63 nested functions within
the value if true portion of the IF statement as well as 63 nested functions within the value if
false portion of the income statement and everything would still work. Both would be at the limit
of 64 when the original IF statement is counted. As a practical matter, if you are going to use a
lot of nested functions, you’ll probably want to separate them out into subsets at some level.
The reason is due to the difficulty of editing the equations and following the logic when an
equation becomes exceedingly long.
Writing formulas in Excel can be facilitated by using Flow Charts. The following Flow Charts
should help with the Exercise2-IFstatements spreadsheet. The solution equation is posted with
the spreadsheet, but you should try doing it yourself beginning with the second record
(Advanced Micro).
Practice 1
With the data below, do the following: If the value is greater than $80.00, insert a value of
$80.00 in Column E; otherwise, put in the original value.
Yes
Put in the
value of 80
No
Put in the
original value
Is the value > 80?
The first box is the IF statement condition. The second part of an IF statement reflects what to
do if the condition is “true” (Yes). The third part of the IF statement reflects what to do if the
condition is “false” (No).
The equation in cell E4 would be as follows: =IF(d4>80,80,d4)
The equation could then be copied to cells E5 to E15
Practice 2
With the data below, do the following: If the value is greater than $80.00, insert the value
of the the previous cell (in column E); otherwise, put in the original value.
Yes
Put in the value of
the previous cell
Is the value > 80?
No
Put in the
original value
The equation in cell E4 would be as follows: =IF(d4>80,e3,d4)
The equation could then be copied to cells E5 to E15
Practice 3
With the data below, do the following: If the value is less than $40, insert a value equal to
(3*value-5.5); otherwise, put in the original value.
Put in 3*d4-5.5
Yes
Is the value<$40?
No
Put in original
value
The equation in cell E4 would be as follows: =IF(d4<40,3*d4-5.5,d4)
The equation could then be copied to cells E5 to E15
Practice 4
With the data below, do the following: If the date is greater than 1/1/91 (January 1, 1991),
let the New Date equal the Old Date minus 100 days; otherwise, put in the original date.
Yes
Put in date minus
100 days
Is date > 1/1/91?
No
Put in original date
The equation in cell E4 would be as follows: =IF(b4>date(1991,1,1),b4-100,b4)
The equation could then be copied to cells E5 to E15
In cell F4, the equation would be: =E4
Then in cell F$, click on Format, Cell, Number tab (if not already there), Date and pick the
format of the date that you want to be displayed. Copy the equations in E4 and F4 to E5
through E15 and F5 through F15, respectively.
Practice 5
With the data below, do the following: If the first letter of Name is “W”, replace it with a
“V” in column E; otherwise, leave the name the same
This is a tough one using text functions. LEFT() selects digits starting from the left: RIGHT()
selects digits starting from the right; and LEN() counts the number of digits (including spaces) in
the text.
Yes
Replace the first letter of
Name with “V” and add the
remaining letters
Is the first letter of
Name = “W”?
No
Put in original name
The equation in cell E4 would be as follows:
=IF(LEFT(c4,1)=”W”,”V”&RIGHT(C4,LEN(C4)-1),C4)
The equation could then be copied to cells E5 to E15
Note that the quotations (“ “) must be used to identify it as text. LEFT(c4,1) says to look at the
digit in c4 that is first on the left-hand side. RIGHT(C4, LEN(C4)-1,C4) is more complex. First,
the LEN(c4) identifies the total number of digits (including spaces) in the name. The RIGHT()
indicates to include the digits in cell C4, beginning at the right, for a total of all of the digits
(that’s the LEN() function) except for the first digit (that’s why we subtract 1 from the total
identified by the LEN() function). Otherwise, put in the original name, C4.
Practice 6
With the data below, do the following: If the value is greater than $60, then put 60; if it is
between $40 and $60, put 45; otherwise, the original value. Use NESTED IF statements.
This uses Nested IF statements; i.e., IF statements inside of other IF statements. There are
different ways to do this, but the most logical is to start with the highest number and work your
way down.
Yes
Put 60
Is value>$60?
Yes
No
Put 45
Is value>$40?
No
Put original value
The equation in cell E4 would be as follows: =if(d4>60,60,if(d4>40,45,d5))
And copy the equation. Note that there are two IF equations and we need two “end
parentheses” [or ))] in order to close both of them.
Practice 7
With the data below, do the following: If the value is between $30 and $60, then replace
it with 45; otherwise, the original value. Use IF(AND) statements.
Put in 45
Yes
for both
Is value > 30?
AND
Is value < 60?
No
Put in original value
The equation in cell E4 would be: =IF(AND(d4>30,d4<60),45,d4)
The AND() function means that both conditions must be satisfied for it to be true.
Practice 8
With the data below, do the following: If the value is outside $30 and $70 (i.e., less than
$30 or greater than $70) , then keep the original value; otherwise, replace it with $50. Use
IF(OR) statements.
Yes
For either
Put in original value
Is value < 30?
OR
Is value > 70?
No
Put in 50
The equation for cell E4 would be: =IF(OR(D4<30,D4>70),D4,50)
The OR() function means that either condition can be satisfied for it to be true.