SUMIF and SUMIFS Formulas Simplified for Beginners, by Kyle Walker on YouTube. 5 min 39 s.
- Video length
- 5 min 39 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Set up a small table with headers in row 1, for example Region, Product and Sales. Put each record in its own row so the ranges line up.
Click an empty cell below the table where you want the total to appear. Type =SUMIF( to start the single-condition version.
Enter the range to check first, such as the Region column, then a comma. This is the range that holds your condition.
Type the condition in quotes, like "North", then a comma. Text needs quotes, numbers do not.
Enter the range to add up, such as the Sales column, close the bracket and press Enter. The formula reads =SUMIF(A2:A20,"North",C2:C20).
For two or more conditions, type =SUMIFS(. The sum range comes first here, which is the opposite order from SUMIF.
Add each condition as a pair: the range to check, then the value to match, separated by commas. For example =SUMIFS(C2:C20,A2:A20,"North",B2:B20,"Shoes").
Close the bracket and press Enter. Check the result against a manual filter of the same rows to confirm it is correct.
Copy the formula down or across if you need totals for other conditions. Use absolute references like $A$2:$A$20 so the ranges stay fixed.
Tips and common mistakes
SUMIFS puts the sum range first, while SUMIF puts it last. Mixing up the order is the most common error.
All ranges in SUMIFS must be the same size, or Excel returns a #VALUE! error.
Wrap text conditions in double quotes and use wildcards like "Nor*" to match partial text.
Use cell references for the condition instead of typing it, so you can change the criteria without editing the formula.
Questions
What is the difference between SUMIF and SUMIFS?
SUMIF handles one condition and takes the range to check, the condition, then the sum range. SUMIFS handles one or more conditions and takes the sum range first, followed by pairs of range and condition.
Why does my SUMIF return 0?
The condition probably does not match the cell contents exactly, often due to extra spaces or a number stored as text. Check the range covers the right rows and that text conditions are in quotes.
Can I use SUMIFS with dates?
Yes. Put the date condition in quotes with a comparison, like ">="&DATE(2025,1,1), and pair it with the date column range.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
