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Conditional function

How to use SUMIF in Excel

Adds values whose row matches a condition.

Syntax

SUMIF(range, criteria, [sum_range])
rangeThe cells to test
criteriaThe condition, in quotes
[sum_range]The cells to add optional

Example

Here’s SUMIF on a small table of orders. The highlighted cells are the ones the formula reads.

G2
fx
=SUMIF(B2:B9,"West",F2:F9)
A
B
C
D
E
F
1
Order
Region
Rep
Units
Price
Revenue
2
1001
East
Maya
4
12
48
3
1002
West
Omar
2
30
60
4
1003
East
Lena
7
12
84
5
1004
North
Maya
1
45
45
6
1005
West
Lena
5
30
150
7
1006
East
Omar
3
18
54
8
1007
North
Lena
6
12
72
9
1008
West
Maya
8
18
144
354Result of =SUMIF(B2:B9,"West",F2:F9)

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Common mistakes with SUMIF

Argument order

SUMIF is (range to check, condition, range to add). SUMIFS puts the range to add first. Mixing them up is the most common SUMIF error.

Conditions go in quotes

Use "West" for text and ">100" for comparisons. To compare with a cell: ">"&H1.

What the error messages mean

Type these slips into Gridwise and this is the feedback you get:

Leaving off the closing bracket

=SUMIF(B2:B9,"West",F2:F9

Parentheses don’t match. You have 1 opening and 0 closing parentheses. Every ( needs a ).

Text without quotes

=SUMIF(B2:B9,West,F2:F9)

Text needs quotes. West isn’t a function or a cell, so Excel can’t read it. If you mean the word, write "West" with quotes.

Questions

What does the SUMIF function do in Excel?

Adds values whose row matches a condition. The syntax is SUMIF(range, criteria, [sum_range]).

Why is my SUMIF formula giving the wrong answer?

Argument order: SUMIF is (range to check, condition, range to add). SUMIFS puts the range to add first. Mixing them up is the most common SUMIF error. Conditions go in quotes: Use "West" for text and ">100" for comparisons. To compare with a cell: ">"&H1.

Does SUMIF 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.

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