Spreadsheet Practice

How to check if neither of two conditions is true in Excel

Formula (Excel and Google Sheets)

=IF(NOT(OR(B2="Yes",C2>=$G$1)),"Reject","Review")

Wrap OR in NOT: =IF(NOT(OR(B2="Yes",C2>=$G$1)),"Reject","Review") is TRUE only when both conditions fail.

Result on the example
one result per row in D2, filled down to D6
Works in
Every current version
Google Sheets
Same formula

See it work

The formula is already in D2, filled down to D6. Change any input and the result updates, or edit the formula to experiment.

How it works

OR is TRUE when either qualification is met, and NOT flips it, so the test is TRUE only when neither is. A. Kim has no degree and one year of experience, so the application is rejected.

=IF(NOT(OR(B2="Yes",C2>=$G$1)),"Reject","Review")

Result"Reject"

  1. B2"No"

    The value in B2.

  2. B2="Yes"FALSE

    The = operator tests whether the two sides are equal.

  3. C21

    The value in C2.

  4. $G$13

    The value in G1.

  5. C2>=$G$1FALSE

    The >= operator tests at least.

  6. OR(B2="Yes",C2>=$G$1)FALSE

    OR: TRUE if any argument is true.

    • logical1B2="Yes"FALSE
    • logical2C2>=$G$1FALSE
  7. NOT(OR(B2="Yes",C2>=$G$1))TRUE

    NOT: Reverses TRUE and FALSE.

    • logicalOR(B2="Yes",C2>=$G$1)FALSE
  8. IF(NOT(OR(B2="Yes",C2>=$G$1)),"Reject","Review")"Reject"

    IF: Returns one value if a test is true, another if false.

    • logical_testNOT(OR(B2="Yes",C2>=$G$1))TRUE
    • value_if_true"Reject"
    • value_if_false"Review"not used

In Google Sheets

The same formula works in Google Sheets: =IF(NOT(OR(B2="Yes",C2>=$G$1)),"Reject","Review"). We ran it in Google Sheets mode on the same data and it returns the same results.

Other ways to do it

Each one was run on the same example sheet.

FormulaResultWhen to use it
=IF(AND(B2<>"Yes",C2<$G$1),"Reject","Review")Reject, Review, Review…The same test written the other way: "not A and not B" equals "not (A or B)".
=IF(OR(B2="Yes",C2>=$G$1),"Review","Reject")Reject, Review, Review…Skip NOT and swap the two results.

Common mistakes

  • NOT takes a single argument. NOT(B2="Yes",C2>=3) is an error; put the conditions inside OR first.
  • Mixing up the negation is the classic mistake: NOT(OR(…)) means "neither", NOT(AND(…)) means "not both".

Try it yourself

Same data, empty answer cell. Your formula is graded instantly, then re-checked on changed data, so a typed-in number won't pass.

Check if neither of two conditions is true

In D2, show "Reject" when the applicant has neither a degree nor at least the years in G1, otherwise "Review". Fill down to D6.

Questions

How do I check that not both are true?

=NOT(AND(B2="Yes",C2>=$G$1)) is TRUE unless both hold.

Does NOT work on a single test?

Yes: NOT(B2="Yes") is the same as B2<>"Yes".

Checked by running on 2026-10-30: every formula and result on this page was calculated by the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine, in both Excel and Google Sheets modes.