In Excel: use =SIGN(number) — it returns 1 for positive, -1 for negative and 0 for zero, reducing any value to its direction.
Syntax
Arguments
| Argument | Description | |
|---|---|---|
number | required | The value to test. Returns 1, 0 or -1. |
Related functions
Select the cell for the direction indicator and type =SIGN(.
Select the value or the difference it comes from, such as B2-A2.
Press Enter; you get 1, 0 or -1.
Feed the result into CHOOSE or an IF to turn it into a label, or multiply by it to transfer a sign.
Need it as an auditable file?
Ships inside the linked template — formula-driven, unlocked, audit-ready.
What this does
SIGN collapses a number to one of three values: 1, 0 or -1. That makes it a compact way to express direction in a formula without a nested IF, and it pairs naturally with ABS, which supplies the magnitude that SIGN discards. In reporting it drives up/down indicators; in modelling it lets you carry a direction through a calculation as a multiplier. Because it returns a number rather than text, the result can be used in further arithmetic — multiplying by SIGN flips or preserves a sign in one step. Keep the inputs visible and clearly labelled and the whole thing stays auditable — anyone who opens the file later, including you, can see at a glance exactly what feeds the result and change one assumption without hunting through the formula. Treat “excel sign function” as a small repeatable workflow rather than a one-off click you hope to remember next time. Use a small test block before the live file, so any surprise in the affected formula shows up while it is still harmless. When a formula is involved, keep the inputs labelled beside it, reference cells instead of typing values, and apply number formatting only after the result checks out. That turns a calculation you can defend to a CFO or an auditor into a method you can reuse, explain, and defend when the workbook leaves your screen.
A worked example
Turning a variance in C2 into an indicator: =CHOOSE(SIGN(C2)+2, "Down", "Flat", "Up") maps -1, 0 and 1 onto three labels. Applying the direction of one value to the magnitude of another: =SIGN(A2)*ABS(B2). Counting how many months moved backwards: =COUNTIF(D2:D40, -1) over a column of =SIGN() results. SIGN is the shortest way to get direction out of a number, which is what indicator columns and sign-preserving arithmetic both need. If there is any chance you will reuse this, drop it into a small template tab right now: a labelled input area on the left and the formula beside it, checked once against the tool above. Next time the same question comes up, the answer is a single paste away instead of a rebuild from memory.
In Google Sheets
Google Sheets handles this almost identically to Excel. The formula syntax above is the same, and the menu lives under a slightly different label rather than a ribbon tab. Use the platform toggle at the top of the page to switch every keyboard shortcut between Windows and Mac, and expect at most cosmetic differences in naming. Nothing on this page is behind a login: the tool runs entirely in your browser, the formula is shown in full with one-click copy, and the steps work the same on Windows and Mac. That is the whole promise here — the exact answer, a way to prove it on your own numbers, and just enough context to make it stick. If you take one thing from this page on “excel sign function”, make it the habit rather than the keystrokes: set the problem up with labelled inputs, reference those cells, and let Excel do the recomputing. Bookmark the page for the syntax, but do the example once in a blank sheet and check it against the tool above — five minutes of hands-on practice fixes the method in memory far better than re-reading, and it surfaces the small snags while they are still harmless. After that the technique is genuinely yours: faster than searching for it again, and reliable enough to drop into work that other people depend on.
Common mistakes
- Expecting the original number back — SIGN discards magnitude entirely and keeps only direction.
- Using it on text, which returns
#VALUE!. - Writing a three-branch nested
IFwhere SIGN plus CHOOSE says the same thing in half the length.
Frequently asked questions
What does SIGN return for zero?
Exactly 0 — it is a distinct third case, not grouped with positives.
How do I show an up or down arrow based on a change?
Use SIGN to reduce the change to -1/0/1, then map it with CHOOSE(SIGN(A2)+2, …), or apply an icon-set conditional format directly.
How do SIGN and ABS relate?
They split a number in two: SIGN(A2)*ABS(A2) reconstructs the original value exactly.