Excel Sumif Not Equal: Easy Formula Solutions

The Excel Sumif function is a powerful tool for summing up values in a specific range of cells, based on a set of criteria. However, what if you want to sum up values that do not meet a certain condition? In other words, how do you use the Sumif function to sum up values that are not equal to a specific value? In this article, we will explore the different ways to use the Sumif function to sum up values that are not equal to a specific value, and provide easy formula solutions.

Understanding the Sumif Function

Before we dive into the solutions, let's quickly review the Sumif function syntax. The Sumif function takes three arguments: range, criteria, and sum_range.

SUMIF(range, criteria, [sum_range])

Range is the range of cells that you want to apply the criteria to.
Criteria is the condition that you want to apply to the range.
Sum_range is the range of cells that you want to sum up.

For example, if you want to sum up all the values in column B that are greater than 10, you would use the following formula:

=SUMIF(B:B, ">10")

Using the Not Equal Operator

To sum up values that are not equal to a specific value, you can use the not equal operator (<>) in the criteria argument. For example, if you want to sum up all the values in column B that are not equal to 10, you would use the following formula:

=SUMIF(B:B, "<>10")

This formula will sum up all the values in column B that are not equal to 10.

Using Multiple Criteria

What if you want to sum up values that meet multiple criteria? For example, what if you want to sum up all the values in column B that are not equal to 10 and are also greater than 5? You can use the following formula:

=SUMIFS(B:B, B:B, "<>10", B:B, ">5")

This formula uses the Sumifs function, which is similar to the Sumif function, but allows you to apply multiple criteria to the range.

Using an Array Formula

Another way to sum up values that are not equal to a specific value is to use an array formula. An array formula is a formula that performs multiple calculations on a range of cells, and returns an array of values.

For example, if you want to sum up all the values in column B that are not equal to 10, you can use the following array formula:

=SUM(IF(B:B<>10, B:B, 0))

This formula uses the If function to test each value in column B, and returns an array of values that meet the condition. The Sum function then sums up these values.

Real-World Examples

Let's take a look at some real-world examples of using the Sumif function to sum up values that are not equal to a specific value.

Example 1: Summing up sales that are not equal to a specific region.

Suppose you have a table of sales data, and you want to sum up all the sales that are not equal to a specific region. You can use the following formula:

=SUMIF(B:B, "<>North", C:C)

This formula sums up all the sales in column C that are not equal to the "North" region in column B.

Example 2: Summing up scores that are not equal to a specific grade.

Suppose you have a table of student scores, and you want to sum up all the scores that are not equal to a specific grade. You can use the following formula:

=SUMIFS(C:C, C:C, "<>A", B:B, ">80")

This formula sums up all the scores in column C that are not equal to an "A" grade and are also greater than 80.

Common Errors

When using the Sumif function to sum up values that are not equal to a specific value, there are a few common errors to watch out for.

Make sure to use the correct operator (<> or!=) to specify the "not equal to" condition.
Make sure to enclose the criteria in quotes (e.g. "<>10") if it's a text string.
Make sure to specify the correct range and sum_range arguments.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Sumif function is a powerful tool for summing up values in a specific range of cells, based on a set of criteria. By using the not equal operator (<>) in the criteria argument, you can sum up values that are not equal to a specific value. We hope this article has provided easy formula solutions for using the Sumif function to sum up values that are not equal to a specific value.