how+to+use+if+function

How To Use Excel's IF Function
The IF function can be quite useful in a spreadsheet. It is used when you want to test for more than one value. For example, has a bill been paid or not? If it has, you can deduct the amount from the money you have left to spend; if it hasn't, keep it on your debt list. You can also see how to grade student exam scores. If the student has above 80, award an A grade; if the student has below 30, award a fail grade. IF FUNCTION: IF(logical_test, value_if_false, value_if_true)

What does IF FUNCTION define? Is it clear? If that's not terribly clear, an example may clear things up. Open a new spreadsheet, and do the following:
 * logical_test**The first argument is what you want to test for. Is the number in the cell greater than 80, for example?
 * value_if_true**This is what you want to do if the answer to the first argument is YES. (Award an A grade, for example) **value_if_false**This is what you want to do if the answer to the first argument is NO. (Award a FAIL grade.
 * Widen the B column a bit, as we'll be putting a message in cell B1
 * Now click in cell A1 and type the number 6
 * Type the following in the formula bar : =IF(A1 > 5, "Greater than Five", "Less than Five")

Make sure you have all the commas and double quotes in the correct place, otherwise Excel will give you an error message. That right angle bracket ( > ) is known as a Conditional Operator. You'll meet some others shortly. But what we're saying in the IF function is this: So your first tell Excel what you want to check the cell for, then what you want to do if the answer is YES, and finally what you want to do if the answer is NO. You separate each part with a comma.
 * logical_test:** Is the value in cell A1 greater than 5?
 * value_if_true**: If the answer is Yes, display the text "Greater than Five"
 * value_if_false**: If the answer is NO, display the text "Less than Five"

Grishma Modi