How to Use IF Formula in Excel with Multiple Conditions?

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Excel’s IF function is a powerful tool for making logical decisions based on given criteria. When your spreadsheet requires analyzing more than one condition, you can effectively use the IF formula with multiple conditions by integrating logical functions like AND, OR, and NOT.

In this guide, we will show you exactly how to create these formulas clearly and efficiently.

What is the IF Function in Excel?

The IF function in Excel performs logical tests and returns specific outcomes based on whether the criteria specified are met or not. Its basic syntax is:

=IF(condition, value_if_true, value_if_false)

However, real-world Excel tasks often require assessing more than one condition simultaneously. This is where Excel’s logical functions (AND, OR, and NOT) become essential.

IF Formula in Excel with AND Condition

The AND function evaluates multiple conditions simultaneously and returns TRUE only if all specified conditions are met.

Syntax for IF Formula with AND:

=IF(AND(condition1, condition2, ...), value_if_true, value_if_false)

Example of IF with AND Condition:

Consider you want to check whether a student has passed based on two criteria: a score greater than 50 in Math (cell A1) and greater than 60 in English (cell B1).

=IF(AND(A1>50, B1>60), "Pass", "Fail")

• If both conditions are satisfied, Excel returns “Pass”.
• If either condition is not satisfied, Excel returns “Fail”.

Practical Use Case of IF with AND Condition:

IF Formula in Excel with OR Condition

The OR function checks multiple conditions and returns TRUE if at least one condition is met.

Syntax for IF Formula with OR:

=IF(OR(condition1, condition2, ...), value_if_true, value_if_false)

Example of IF with OR Condition:

Using the previous example, if passing either Math or English is sufficient:

=IF(OR(A1>50, B1>60), "Pass", "Fail")

• If either condition is met, Excel returns “Pass”.
• Only if neither condition is met, Excel returns “Fail”.

Practical Use Case of IF with OR Condition:

IF Formula in Excel with NOT Condition

The NOT function reverses or negates a condition’s logical value.

Syntax for IF Formula with NOT:

=IF(NOT(condition), value_if_true, value_if_false)

Example of IF with NOT Condition:

If you want to verify if a score is not greater than 50:

=IF(NOT(A1>50), "Below Threshold", "Above Threshold")

• If the condition is false (score is not above 50), Excel returns “Below Threshold”.
• Otherwise, Excel returns “Above Threshold”.

Practical Use Case of IF with NOT Condition:

Combining AND and OR Functions with IF for Complex Conditions

Sometimes your logic requires combining AND and OR conditions together in the same IF statement. This is very common in real-world scenarios.

Example of IF Formula Combining AND & OR:

Let’s check a scenario:

• Condition 1: Math > 50 AND English > 60
• Condition 2: Math > 40 AND English > 70

=IF(OR(AND(A1>50, B1>60), AND(A1>40, B1>70)), "Pass", "Fail")

Here, if either of the combined sets of conditions is true, Excel returns “Pass”; otherwise, it returns “Fail”.

Practical Use Case of Combined Conditions:

Nested IF Statements in Excel

For cases involving multiple possible outcomes, Nested IF statements are helpful.

Syntax of Nested IF Statements:

=IF(condition1, outcome1, IF(condition2, outcome2, IF(condition3, outcome3, outcome4)))

Example of Nested IF:

Evaluate scores and categorize:

=IF(A1>80, "Excellent", IF(A1>60, "Good", IF(A1>40, "Average", "Poor")))

Practical Use Case of Nested IF:

Key Points to Remember When Using IF with Multiple Conditions

When creating IF formulas in Excel, remember these crucial points:

• Use AND when all conditions must be true.
• Use OR when at least one condition must be true.
• The NOT function reverses the outcome of a condition.
• Combine AND and OR carefully to handle complex logical conditions.
• Always ensure that your Excel formulas remain within Excel’s maximum formula length of 8,192 characters (applicable to Excel 365 and recent versions).

By understanding these principles, you can efficiently handle a variety of data scenarios using Excel’s IF formula with multiple conditions. This significantly improves your spreadsheet’s decision-making capabilities and helps you manage data effectively.

Vaishvi Desai

Vaishvi Desai is the founder of Excelsamurai and a passionate Excel enthusiast with years of experience in data analysis and spreadsheet management. With a mission to help others harness the power of Excel, Vaishvi shares her expertise through concise, easy-to-follow tutorials on shortcuts, formulas, Pivot Tables, and VBA.