Excel Formula for Conditional Sum Based on Text Presence

Objective

To create an Excel formula that adds the value of another cell to a total if a specified cell contains text.

Formula

The formula to achieve this can be structured as follows:

=IF(ISTEXT(A1), B1 + C1, C1)

Explanation of the Formula Components

• IF Function: This function evaluates a condition and returns one value if the condition is true and another value if it is false.
  • ISTEXT(A1): This checks if the content of cell A1 is text.
  • B1 + C1: This part sums the value in cell B1 with the value in cell C1 if A1 contains text.
  • C1: If A1 does not contain text, it simply returns the value in C1.

Practical Example

Let us illustrate this with an example:

Assume the following data:

• Cell A1 contains the text "Example".
• Cell B1 contains the number 10.
• Cell C1 contains the number 5.

1. Input the Data:

   • A1: Example
   • B1: 10
   • C1: 5

2. Apply the Formula:

   • In another cell (for example, D1), enter the formula:

     =IF(ISTEXT(A1), B1 + C1, C1)

3. Expected Outcome:

   • Since A1 contains text, D1 will calculate as:
     • D1 = 10 + 5 = 15

Scenario When A1 Does Not Contain Text

If A1 were to contain a number (for instance, 123 instead of "Example"), the formula would output:

• D1 = 5 (the value from C1) since A1 does not contain text.

Conclusion

This formula is useful for scenarios where a specific condition (the presence of text) dictates whether to include an additional value in the total. By adjusting the references (A1, B1, C1) as per your data, you can effectively use this formula in various data analysis tasks within Excel. For further learning, consider exploring the resources available on the Enterprise DNA Platform.