How to use ABS in Excel
Removes the minus sign.
Syntax
numberAny numberExample
Here’s ABS on a small table of orders. The highlighted cells are the ones the formula reads.
=ABS(-12)Edit this formula live Change the ranges and watch the answer update. Free, no sign-up.
Common mistakes with ABS
ABS hides direction
It removes the sign, so you lose whether a change was up or down. Keep the original column if you’ll need it.
Use it inside other formulas
A common pattern is =ABS(B2-C2) for the size of a difference, regardless of which is bigger.
What the error messages mean
Type these slips into Gridwise and this is the feedback you get:
Leaving off the closing bracket
=ABS(-12
Parentheses don’t match. You have 1 opening and 0 closing parentheses. Every ( needs a ).
Questions
What does the ABS function do in Excel?
Removes the minus sign. The syntax is ABS(number).
Why is my ABS formula giving the wrong answer?
ABS hides direction: It removes the sign, so you lose whether a change was up or down. Keep the original column if you’ll need it. Use it inside other formulas: A common pattern is =ABS(B2-C2) for the size of a difference, regardless of which is bigger.
Does ABS work in Google Sheets?
Most Excel functions, including the core ones on this page, work the same way in Google Sheets. A few newer functions arrived in Sheets later or behave slightly differently, so test it on your own data.