This article describes the formula syntax and usage of the SUMIF function (function: A prewritten formula that takes a value or values, performs an operation, and returns a value or values. Use functions to simplify and shorten formulas on a worksheet, especially those that perform lengthy or complex calculations.) in Microsoft Excel.
You use the SUMIF function to sum the values in a range (range: Two or more cells on a sheet. The cells in a range can be adjacent or nonadjacent.) that meet criteria that you specify. For example, suppose that in a column that contains numbers, you want to sum only the values that are larger than 5. You can use the following formula:
In this example, the criteria is applied the same values that are being summed. If you want, you can apply the criteria to one range and sum the corresponding values in a different range. For example, the formula =SUMIF(B2:B5, "John", C2:C5) sums only the values in the range C2:C5, where the corresponding cells in the range B2:B5 equal "John."
Note To sum cells based on multiple criteria, see SUMIFS function.
SUMIF(range, criteria, [sum_range])
The SUMIF function syntax has the following arguments (argument: A value that provides information to an action, an event, a method, a property, a function, or a procedure.):
- range Required. The range of cells that you want evaluated by criteria. Cells in each range must be numbers or names, arrays, or references that contain numbers. Blank and text values are ignored.
- criteria Required. The criteria in the form of a number, expression, a cell reference, text, or a function that defines which cells will be added. For example, criteria can be expressed as 32, ">32", B5, 32, "32", "apples", or TODAY().
Important Any text criteria or any criteria that includes logical or mathematical symbols must be enclosed in double quotation marks ("). If the criteria is numeric, double quotation marks are not required.
- sum_range Optional. The actual cells to add, if you want to add cells other than those specified in the range argument. If the sum_range argument is omitted, Excel adds the cells that are specified in the range argument (the same cells to which the criteria is applied).
- You can use the wildcard characters — the question mark (?) and asterisk (*) — as the criteria argument. A question mark matches any single character; an asterisk matches any sequence of characters. If you want to find an actual question mark or asterisk, type a tilde (~) preceding the character.
- The SUMIF function returns incorrect results when you use it to match strings longer than 255 characters to the string #VALUE!.
- The sum_range argument does not have to be the same size and shape as the range argument. The actual cells that are added are determined by using the upper leftmost cell in the sum_range argument as the beginning cell, and then including cells that correspond in size and shape to the range argument. For example:
|If range is
||And sum_range is
||Then the actual cells are
However, when the range and sum_range arguments in the SUMIF function do not contain the same number of cells, worksheet recalculation may take longer than expected.
Use the embedded workbook shown here to work with examples of this function. You can inspect and change existing formulas, enter your own formulas, and read further information about how the function works.
These examples demonstrate how SUMIF adds the values in a range (range: Two or more cells on a sheet. The cells in a range can be adjacent or nonadjacent.) that meet criteria that you specified.
To work in-depth with this workbook, you can download it to your computer and open it in Excel. For more information, see the article Download an embedded workbook from SkyDrive and open it on your computer.
These examples demonstrate how SUMIF adds the categories in a range (range: Two or more cells on a sheet. The cells in a range can be adjacent or nonadjacent.) that meet criteria that you specified.