MIN in Excel

MIN in Excel

MIN function is categorized under statistical functions in Excel. The MIN Excel function is used to find out the minimum value from a given set of data/ array.  It returns the minimum value from a given set of numeric values.

• It will count numbers but ignore empty cells, text, the logical values TRUE and FALSE, and text values.
• It can be used to calculate the minimum salary of the employee, the minimum time/score, lowest expense or revenue amount, etc.

MIN Formula in Excel

Below is the MIN Formula in Excel.

MIN formula has at least one compulsory parameter i.e. number1 and rest subsequent numbers are optional.

Compulsory Parameter:

• number1: it is the required number.

Optional Parameter:

• [number2]:  Rest subsequent numbers are optional.

How to Use MIN Function in Excel?

MINIMUM function in excel is very simple and easy to use. Let understand the working of MIN function by some examples. MIN can be used as a worksheet function and as a VBA function.

Example #1

In this example, we have a student database with their score details. Now we need to find out the minimum score from these students.

Here apply the function =MIN(C3:C18)

and it will return you the minimum score from the given list of scores as shown in the below table.

Example #2

In this example, we have a student details with their score but here some student did not have any score.

Now apply the function here =MIN(G3:G18)

MIN Function ignore the empty cells and then calculate the minimum score from the given data as shown in the below table.

Example #3

Suppose, we have a student details with their score but for some of the student’s  score values are Boolean,

then apply the function here =MIN(J3:J18),

MIN function in excel ignore these Boolean values cells and then calculate the minimum score from the given data as shown in the below table.

Example #4

Suppose we have a list of names and we have to calculate the name with minimum length.

Here we have to apply the LEN function to calculate the length of the name then apply the MIN function to find out the name with minimum length.

It will give you the result, shown below

Example #5

MIN function can be used to find the MIN date from the given set of dates and minimum time from the given time and can be used to find the minimum currency from the given data as shown in the below table.

MIN function can be used as a VBA function.

Sub MINcal()

Dim Ans As Integer //declare the Ans as integer

Ans = Applicaltion.WorksheetFunction.MIN(Range(“A1:B5”))  // Apply Excel MIN function on range A1 to B5

MsgBox Ans //Display the MIN value in Message box.

End Sub

Things to Remember

• It throws #VALUE! Error if any of the supplied values are non-numeric.
• It will count numbers but ignore empty cells, text,  the logical values TRUE and FALSE, and text values.
• If this function does not have any numbers in the arguments than it will return the 0 as output.

Recommended Articles

This has been a guide to MIN Function in Excel. Here we discuss the MIN Formula and how to use MIN function along with excel example and downloadable excel templates. You may also look at these useful functions in excel –

• VBA Boolean
• Percentile Formula in Excel
• VBA MsgBox Function in Excel
• Delete Blank Rows in Excel
• Add a Secondary Axis in Excel