How to use IF with percentages in Excel
Formula (Excel and Google Sheets)
=IF((C2-B2)/B2>=$G$1,"On target","Below target")Compare the calculated rate with a percentage in a cell: =IF((C2-B2)/B2>=$G$1,"On target","Below target"). 10% is stored as 0.1.
- Result on the example
- one result per row in
D2, filled down toD6 - Works in
- Every current version
- Google Sheets
- Same formula
See it work
The formula is already in D2, filled down to D6. Change any input and the result updates, or edit the formula to experiment.
How it works
(C2-B2)/B2 is the growth as a fraction, 0.12 for 12%. A percentage in a cell is stored the same way, so 10% in G1 is 0.1 and the comparison works directly. East grew exactly 10% and meets the target.
=IF((C2-B2)/B2>=$G$1,"On target","Below target")Result"On target"
C2$134,500The value in C2.
B2$120,000The value in B2.
C2-B214500The - operator subtracts.
C2-B2)/B20.1208333333The / operator divides.
$G$110%The value in G1.
C2-B2)/B2>=$G$1TRUEThe >= operator tests at least.
IF((C2-B2)/B2>=$G$1,"On target","Below target")"On target"IF: Returns one value if a test is true, another if false.- logical_test
C2-B2)/B2>=$G$1TRUE - value_if_true
"On target" - value_if_false
"Below target"not used
- logical_test
In Google Sheets
The same formula works in Google Sheets: =IF((C2-B2)/B2>=$G$1,"On target","Below target"). We ran it in Google Sheets mode on the same data and it returns the same results.
Other ways to do it
Each one was run on the same example sheet.
| Formula | Result | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| =IF(C2>=B2*(1+$G$1),"On target","Below target") | On target, Below target, On target… | Compares with last year plus 10%, which avoids dividing (and a #DIV/0! when last year is 0). |
| =(C2-B2)/B2 | 12.1%, 3.3%, 10.0%…Different result | The growth itself, shown as a percentage. Shows the growth rates, such as 12.1% for North and -2.2% for West. |
Common mistakes
- Typing 10 in
G1instead of 10% sets a target of 1,000%. Check that the cell shows a % sign. >="10%"in quotes compares with text and fails. Use 10%, 0.1 or a cell.
Try it yourself
Same data, empty answer cell. Your formula is graded instantly, then re-checked on changed data, so a typed-in number won't pass.
Use IF with percentages
D2, show "On target" when growth from last year to this year is at least the percentage in G1, otherwise "Below target". Fill down to D6.Questions
What if last year is 0?
The division returns #DIV/0!. Test for it first: =IF(B2=0,"New",IF((C2-B2)/B2>=$G$1,"On target","Below target")).
How do I show the growth and the verdict together?
Join them: =TEXT((C2-B2)/B2,"0.0%")&IF((C2-B2)/B2>=$G$1," (on target)"," (below)").
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.