How to use MINIFS in Excel
The smallest value among rows that match every condition.
Syntax
min_rangeWhere the values arecriteria_range1First range to testcriteria1First conditionExample
Here’s MINIFS on a small table of orders. The highlighted cells are the ones the formula reads.
=MINIFS(F2:F9,C2:C9,"Maya")Edit this formula live Change the ranges and watch the answer update. Free, no sign-up.
Common mistakes with MINIFS
Returns 0 when nothing matches
An empty match gives 0, which can look like a real minimum. Confirm with COUNTIFS.
Min range comes first
MINIFS(min_range, criteria_range, criteria, …).
What the error messages mean
Type these slips into Gridwise and this is the feedback you get:
Leaving off the closing bracket
=MINIFS(F2:F9,C2:C9,"Maya"
Parentheses don’t match. You have 1 opening and 0 closing parentheses. Every ( needs a ).
Text without quotes
=MINIFS(F2:F9,C2:C9,Maya)
Text needs quotes. Maya isn’t a function or a cell, so Excel can’t read it. If you mean the word, write "Maya" with quotes.
Questions
What does the MINIFS function do in Excel?
The smallest value among rows that match every condition. The syntax is MINIFS(min_range, criteria_range1, criteria1, …).
Why is my MINIFS formula giving the wrong answer?
Returns 0 when nothing matches: An empty match gives 0, which can look like a real minimum. Confirm with COUNTIFS. Min range comes first: MINIFS(min_range, criteria_range, criteria, …).
Does MINIFS 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.
Related functions
- COUNTIFCounts cells that match a condition.
- COUNTIFSCounts rows that match every condition.
- SUMIFAdds values whose row matches a condition.
- SUMIFSAdds values whose row matches every condition.
- AVERAGEIFAverages values whose row matches a condition.
- AVERAGEIFSAverages values whose rows match every condition.