SUMIF with a numeric threshold
BeginnerWhen you need to total only the values that meet a condition, SUMIF lets you do it in a single formula. Most people know SUMIF for matching text like a category name, but it works just as well with numeric comparisons like "greater than" or "at least."
In this exercise, you have a list of eight purchase orders in rows 4–11. Cell B1 holds the minimum order threshold (500). Your job is to write a single SUMIF formula in cell B13 that adds up only the order amounts above that threshold.
How SUMIF works:
=SUMIF(range, criteria, [sum_range])
- range: the column to check against your condition
- criteria: the condition to apply (a number, text, or comparison)
- sum_range: the column to add up when the condition is met (optional when it is the same column as range)
Using a comparison operator in criteria:
To check whether a value exceeds a threshold, you combine a comparison operator (in quotes) with the threshold cell using &:
">"&B1
This tells SUMIF to include any amount greater than whatever is in B1.
What you need to do:
- Click cell B13 (next to "Total of qualifying orders").
- Write a SUMIF formula that checks the Amount column (C4:C11) against the threshold in B1, and sums only the amounts that exceed it.
- Press Enter.
Need some help?
Hint 1
Double-check that your range argument points to the Amount column (column C), not the Order # or Customer columns. SUMIF checks the range to find matches, so pointing to the wrong column will return 0.
Hint 2
A common mistake is to write the threshold directly into the criteria string, like ">500". That works once, but if you change B1 later the formula will not update. Use ">"&B1 instead so the formula always reflects the current threshold.
SUMIF with a numeric threshold
BeginnerWhen you need to total only the values that meet a condition, SUMIF lets you do it in a single formula. Most people know SUMIF for matching text like a category name, but it works just as well with numeric comparisons like "greater than" or "at least."
In this exercise, you have a list of eight purchase orders in rows 4–11. Cell B1 holds the minimum order threshold (500). Your job is to write a single SUMIF formula in cell B13 that adds up only the order amounts above that threshold.
How SUMIF works:
=SUMIF(range, criteria, [sum_range])
- range: the column to check against your condition
- criteria: the condition to apply (a number, text, or comparison)
- sum_range: the column to add up when the condition is met (optional when it is the same column as range)
Using a comparison operator in criteria:
To check whether a value exceeds a threshold, you combine a comparison operator (in quotes) with the threshold cell using &:
">"&B1
This tells SUMIF to include any amount greater than whatever is in B1.
What you need to do:
- Click cell B13 (next to "Total of qualifying orders").
- Write a SUMIF formula that checks the Amount column (C4:C11) against the threshold in B1, and sums only the amounts that exceed it.
- Press Enter.
Need some help?
Hint 1
Double-check that your range argument points to the Amount column (column C), not the Order # or Customer columns. SUMIF checks the range to find matches, so pointing to the wrong column will return 0.
Hint 2
A common mistake is to write the threshold directly into the criteria string, like ">500". That works once, but if you change B1 later the formula will not update. Use ">"&B1 instead so the formula always reflects the current threshold.