The IF Function

Governors need to know which departments exceed an annual threshold without reading every total in column F.

The IF function returns one value when a test is true and another when it is false. Syntax: =IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value_if_false).

You will mark departments whose annual total exceeds £50,000 with Review; others show OK.

Example: =IF(F2>50000,"Review","OK")

• If F2 is greater than 50000 → show Review
• Otherwise → show OK

Use straight double quotes " around text. Excel for Windows often accepts curly quotes when you type from the keyboard — if you see an error, retype the quotes in the formula bar.

In K1, type Status. Click K2. Type =IF(F2>50000,"Review","OK") and press Enter. Copy down to K6.

Expected result: Science and Mathematics (and any row over 50000) show Review. Smaller totals show OK.

Click K4 after copying. The formula bar should show =IF(F4>50000,"Review","OK") — the row reference shifted, but the threshold 50000 stayed the same.

You can nest functions: =IF(F2>AVERAGE($F$2:$F$6),"Above average","Below average") compares each row to the mean of all departments.

Keep nested IFs readable — conditional formatting (later) can colour cells instead of extra columns. For now, =IF(F2>50000,"Review","OK") in K2:K6 gives Dr. Helen Marsh a quick scan column.

The IF test reads F2 — the annual total from =SUM(B2:E2). If you change a quarter amount in B2, both F2 and K2 update.

Build formulas in order: data in B2:E6, SUM in F2:F6, then IF in K2:K6. Each layer depends on the one before it.