How to Use SUMIF Function in Excel

What this does

SUMIF adds numbers conditionally: it checks each cell in range against one criterion and, for every row that passes, adds the matching cell from sum_range. The criterion can be exact text, a number, a comparison like ">100", or a wildcard pattern. If you leave off sum_range, SUMIF adds the cells in range itself — handy when the column you test is also the column you total. Most people learn this as a sequence of clicks and forget it by next week; learning it as a pattern instead is what lets you apply it to the next, slightly different version of the problem without starting from scratch. That is the difference this page is trying to make. Treat “use sumif function in excel” 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

Regions are in A2:A100 and sales in B2:B100. To total only the West sales: =SUMIF(A2:A100, "West", B2:B100). It checks each region, and wherever it equals "West" it adds the matching sales figure, returning say 48200. To sum only sales above 1000 directly, test the number column itself: =SUMIF(B2:B100, ">1000"). SUMIF is the everyday tool for one-condition totals — sales by region, expenses by category, hours by project — without filtering or building a pivot table. Check the referenced cells, argument order and result type in your workbook. Start with the worked example before changing an input, then compare the changed result with the calculation you expected. An error value or a result of a different type is a reason to inspect the inputs and arguments.

In Google Sheets

The standard worksheet functions used by this example are listed in Google Sheets. Check the cell references, argument separators and input types in the target spreadsheet, then compare the worked result. This formula-availability check does not establish identical menus, keyboard shortcuts or workbook features, and it is not a product execution test. The aim was to get you unstuck fast and leave you a little more capable than a copy-paste would. The answer is at the top and the detail above shows why it holds — so the next time a colleague asks, you can answer without reaching for search. For “use sumif function in excel”, keep the input cells and the result visible while you check the formula in Excel. Follow the worked example and change one input at a time. The steps explain the workbook calculation; this page does not run a live calculator for that task.

Common mistakes

• Giving range and sum_range different heights, so rows misalign and the wrong cells are added.
• Forgetting the quotes around a comparison — ">100" must be a quoted text string, not >100.
• Reaching for SUMIF when you have two or more conditions; that needs SUMIFS, which takes multiple criteria pairs.

Frequently asked questions