Spreadsheet Practice

How to use a checkbox in an IF formula in Excel

Formula (Excel and Google Sheets)

=IF(C2,"Done","Open")

A checkbox holds TRUE or FALSE, so use the cell itself as the test: =IF(C2,"Done","Open").

Result on the example
one result per row in D2, filled down to D7
Works in
Every current version
Google Sheets
Same formula

See it work

The formula is already in D2, filled down to D7. Change any input and the result updates, or edit the formula to experiment.

How it works

A ticked checkbox stores TRUE and an unticked one FALSE. IF's first argument is already a TRUE/FALSE test, so the cell can be the whole test. The same works for any cell holding TRUE or FALSE, such as the result of a comparison.

=IF(C2,"Done","Open")

Result"Done"

  1. C2TRUE

    The value in C2.

  2. IF(C2,"Done","Open")"Done"

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

    • logical_testC2TRUE
    • value_if_true"Done"
    • value_if_false"Open"not used

In Google Sheets

The same formula works in Google Sheets: =IF(C2,"Done","Open"). 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(C2=TRUE,"Done","Open")Done, Open, Done…Spelling out =TRUE does the same and can read more clearly.
=IF(C2,0,B2)0, 1.5, 0…Different resultReturns the hours still to do: 0 for finished tasks, the task's hours for open ones. Shows remaining hours instead of a label.

Common mistakes

  • C2="TRUE" compares with the text "TRUE", which never equals the value TRUE. Leave out the quotes.
  • In Google Sheets a checkbox can use custom values such as "Yes" and "No". Then test C2="Yes".
  • An empty cell counts as FALSE, so a row with no checkbox shows "Open".

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.

Use a checkbox in an IF formula

In D2, show "Done" when the checkbox value in C2 is TRUE and "Open" when it is FALSE. Fill down to D7.

Questions

How do I count checked boxes?

=COUNTIF(C2:C7,TRUE).

How do I total the hours of finished tasks?

=SUMIF(C2:C7,TRUE,B2:B7).

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.