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

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

**Excel:** `=IF(NOT(OR(B2="Yes",C2>=$G$1)),"Reject","Review")` (Every current version)

**Google Sheets:** the same formula works.

## Example

Sample data (row 1 is the header):

| A | B | C | D | E | F | G |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Applicant | Has degree | Years experience | Screen |  | Min years | 3 |
| A. Kim | No | 1 |  |  |  |  |
| B. Ortiz | Yes | 0 |  |  |  |  |
| C. Patel | No | 5 |  |  |  |  |
| D. Moore | No | 2 |  |  |  |  |
| E. Lund | Yes | 4 |  |  |  |  |

Formula in D2, filled to D6: `=IF(NOT(OR(B2="Yes",C2>=$G$1)),"Reject","Review")`

Result: Reject; Review; Review; Reject; Review

## 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.

## Other ways

- `=IF(AND(B2<>"Yes",C2<$G$1),"Reject","Review")`: The same test written the other way: "not A and not B" equals "not (A or B)".
- `=IF(OR(B2="Yes",C2>=$G$1),"Review","Reject")`: 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".

## 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"`.

Every formula and result on this page was checked by running it in the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine on 2026-10-30.

Source: https://spreadsheetpractice.com/formulas/check-if-neither-condition-is-true