Write a basic IF
=IF(B2>=50, "Pass", "Fail")If the score in B2 is at least 50, the cell reads “Pass”; anything lower reads “Fail.” You can return numbers, text, or other formulas in either slot.
Test several conditions with AND or OR
=IF(AND(B2>=50, C2="Yes"), "Approved", "Review")AND requires every condition to be true; OR needs just one. Combine them inside the IF to build richer rules.
Handle many cases with IFS
=IFS(A1>=90, "A", A1>=80, "B", A1>=70, "C", TRUE, "F")IFS reads more cleanly than deeply nested IFs. The final TRUE acts as a catch-all for anything left over.
Common mistakes / tips
- Quote your text. Text results need double quotes, like
"Yes"; numbers do not. - Order matters in IFS. Excel uses the first condition that is true, so list the strictest test first.
- Watch comparison signs. Use
>=for “at least” and>for “more than.”
Frequently asked questions
How do I nest IF statements?
Put another IF in the false slot: =IF(A1>90, "A", IF(A1>80, "B", "C")). For more than two or three levels, IFS is much easier to read.
Why does my IF show the wrong result?
Usually the condition is comparing text to a number, or there is a stray space. Check that A1 really holds a number and not text that looks like one.
Conditional logic is even clearer in real code. Take the next step with our free Pandas course.