In Excel: use =MIN(range) — it returns the smallest number in the range, and doubles as a ceiling: =MIN(100, A2) caps a value at 100.
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Syntax
Arguments
| Argument | required / optional | Description |
|---|---|---|
number1 | required | The first number, range or array. |
number2, ... | optional | Further values or ranges. Text, logicals and blanks are ignored. |
Related functions
Select the result cell and type =MIN(.
Select the range, or list the values to compare separated by commas.
Press Enter. Format the result as a date if the inputs were dates.
To cap rather than find a minimum, put the cap first: =MIN(cap, value).
Need it as an auditable file?
Ships inside the linked template — formula-driven, unlocked, audit-ready.
What this does
MIN returns the smallest numeric value among its arguments, skipping text, logicals and blanks. Its second life is as a cap: =MIN(cap, value) is the standard way to limit a figure without an IF, and pairing it with MAX brackets a value between two bounds in one readable expression. Because dates are stored as numbers, MIN also finds the earliest date in a range. Blank cells are ignored rather than treated as zero, which is usually what you want but does mean an empty column returns 0. The same idea underpins a lot of everyday Excel work, so the few minutes spent getting it right here pay back across every sheet you build afterwards. Treat it as a pattern, not a one-off, and it stops being something you look up and starts being something you reach for. The difference between a quick fix and a sheet you can trust is the extra minute you spend validating “what is min function in excel”. Start on a copy or a tiny sample, keep the affected formula visible, and compare the result with the tool above before you touch the real workbook. 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. The point is a calculation you can defend to a CFO or an auditor, but the practical win is that someone else can open the file and understand what happened without asking you.
A worked example
Order dates in A2:A500: =MIN(A2:A500) returns the earliest date once the cell is formatted as a date. Capping a commission at 5,000: =MIN(5000, Sales*0.03). Bracketing a score between 0 and 100: =MIN(100, MAX(0, A2)). MIN finds the floor of a dataset and imposes a ceiling on a calculation, and the second use appears in more real formulas than the first. A practical tip before you scale it up: build it once on a small block of test data, confirm the number against the tool on this page, and only then point it at your real sheet. That one habit catches almost every mistake while it is still cheap to fix, long before a wrong figure reaches a report or a colleague.
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. 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. Here is the takeaway for “what is min function in excel”: copy the answer if you are busy, but if you have a spare few minutes, rebuild the example in Excel yourself with the tool above open beside it. That single pass — type it, run it, watch the result move when you change an input — is what turns a formula you found into a technique you trust. Keep your inputs labelled and referenced, never hard-coded, and the same sheet stays correct and auditable as it grows. Done that way, you will not need to look this up again, and you will be the person others ask.
Common mistakes
- Expecting blanks to count as zero — they are skipped, so the smallest actual number is returned instead of 0.
- Forgetting to format the result when the inputs were dates, which shows a serial number.
- Using
MINon text-stored numbers, which ignores them and returns 0.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find the earliest date?
=MIN(range) over the date column, then format the result cell as a date — dates are numbers underneath.
How do I cap a value at a maximum?
=MIN(cap, value). Combine with MAX to bracket both ends: =MIN(100, MAX(0, A2)).
Does MIN ignore zeros?
No — an explicit zero is a number and can be the minimum. Only blanks and text are skipped.