In Excel: use =IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value_if_false) — it tests a condition and returns one value when the test is TRUE and another when it is FALSE.
Syntax
Arguments
| Argument | Description | |
|---|---|---|
logical_test | required | A condition that evaluates to TRUE or FALSE, such as A2>100. |
value_if_true | required | What the formula returns when the condition is TRUE. |
value_if_false | optional | What the formula returns when the condition is FALSE; optional but strongly recommended. |
Related functions
IF(SUMIFS(C2:C100, A2:A100, "West") > 1000, "On target", "Below")Tests a condition: returns the 2nd argument if true, the 3rd if false.SUMIFS(C2:C100, A2:A100, "West") > 1000The left side is greater than the right side.SUMIFS(C2:C100, A2:A100, "West")Adds the cells that match every listed condition.C2:C100A reference to cells in your sheet.A2:A100A reference to cells in your sheet."West"A fixed value typed directly into the formula.1000A fixed value typed directly into the formula."On target"A fixed value typed directly into the formula."Below"A fixed value typed directly into the formula.What this does
IF is the core logical function in Excel: it checks a condition you write, then returns one result if the condition is TRUE and a different result if it is FALSE. You can return text, numbers, or other formulas, nest IFs to handle several cases, and combine IF with AND or OR to test more than one condition at once. It turns a sheet from static data into something that reacts to its values. 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 “use an if then statement in excel”. Start on a copy or a tiny sample, keep the affected cells 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 workflow that saves repeating the same clicks every week, but the practical win is that someone else can open the file and understand what happened without asking you.
A worked example
Scores are in column B. In C2, =IF(B2>=60, "Pass", "Fail") returns "Pass" when B2 is 75 and "Fail" when B2 is 48. To grade with several bands, nest IFs: =IF(B2>=90, "A", IF(B2>=80, "B", IF(B2>=70, "C", "F"))). To require two conditions, combine with AND: =IF(AND(B2>=60, D2="yes"), "Eligible", "No"). IF is the foundation of decision logic in Excel; almost every report that flags, grades, or branches on its data is built on it. 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. Keep this page bookmarked for the next time the same question comes up. Better still, rebuild the example once in your own sheet — doing it yourself, with the tool above to check against, is what turns a copied formula into a technique you own. Here is the takeaway for “use an if then statement 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
- Omitting value_if_false, so the formula returns the unhelpful word FALSE instead of a result — use "" for a blank or supply a real value.
- Forgetting quotes around text results, which makes Excel treat the words as undefined names and throw
#NAME?. - Stacking five or more nested IFs that become unreadable — switch to
IFSor a lookup table instead.
Frequently asked questions
How do I nest IF statements?
Put another IF in the value_if_false slot: =IF(B2>=90, "A", IF(B2>=80, "B", "C")). Each IF handles the next band. Beyond a few levels, IFS is cleaner and easier to read.
How do I use IF with two conditions?
Wrap the conditions in AND for "both must be true" or OR for "either", for example =IF(AND(B2>0, C2>0), "OK", "Check"). AND and OR each return a single TRUE or FALSE for IF to act on.
Is there a simpler alternative to many nested IFs?
Yes — IFS lets you list condition/result pairs without nesting: =IFS(B2>=90,"A", B2>=80,"B", B2>=70,"C", TRUE,"F"). It is available in Excel 2019 and Microsoft 365.
Other ways people ask this
This is also commonly searched as “how do i use if then statements in excel”, “how to use if then statements in excel”, “excel formulas for if then statements” and “excel formulas if then statements”. They describe the identical operation, so you are in the right place no matter how you phrased it.
Why do people search for this in so many different ways?
Because the same task has many names. “how do i use if then statements in excel”, “how to use if then statements in excel”, “excel formulas for if then statements” all point at the one operation explained on this page, which is why they all lead here.