Sign in Excel | How to use Excel SIGN Function? (with Examples)

SIGN Function in Excel

Sign function in excel is a Maths/Trig function that is used to give us this result. SIGN function returns the sign (-1, 0 or +1) of the supplied numerical argument. SIGN formula in excel can be used by typing the keyword =SIGN( and providing the number as input.

Syntax

Arguments

the number: The number to get the sign for.

The input number can be any number entered directly, or in the form of any mathematical operation or any cell reference.

Output:

The SIGN Formula in Excel has only three outputs: 1, 0, -1.

If the number is greater than zero, the SIGN formula in excel will return 1.
If the number is equal to zero, the SIGN formula in excel will return 0.
If the number is less than zero, the SIGN formula in excel will return -1.

If the supplied number argument is non-numeric, the excel SIGN function will return #VALUE! error.

How to Use SIGN Function in Excel? (with Examples)

You can download this SIGN Function Excel Template here – SIGN Function Excel Template

Example #1

Suppose you have the final balance figures for seven departments for the year 2016 and 2017 as shown below.

Some of the departments are running in debt and some are giving good returns. Now, you want to see if there is an increase in the figure compared to last year. To do so, you can use the following SIGN formula for the first one.

=SIGN(D4 – C4)

It will return +1. The argument to the SIGN function is a value returned from other functions.

Now, drag it to get the value for the rest of the cells.

Example #2

In the above example, you may also want to calculate the percentage increase/decrease with respect to the previous year.

To do so, you can use the following SIGN Formula:

=(D4 – C4)/C4 * SIGN(C4)

and drag it to the rest of the cells.

If the balance for the year 2016 is zero, the function will give an error. Alternatively, the following SIGN formula may be used to avoid the error:

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=IFERROR((D4 – C4) / C4 * SIGN(C4), 0)

In order to get the overall % increase or decrease, you can use the following formula:

(SUM(D4:D10) – SUM(C4:C10)) / SUM(C4:C10) * SIGN(SUM(C4:C10))

SUM(D4:D10) will give the net balance including all departments for 2017

SUM(C4:C10) will give the net balance including all departments for 2016

SUM(D4:D10) – SUM(C4:C10) will give the net gain or loss including all departments.

(SUM(D4:D10) – SUM(C4:C10)) / SUM(C4:C10) * SIGN(SUM(C4:C10)) will give the percentage gain or loss

Example #3

Suppose you have a list of numbers in B3:B8 as shown below.

Now, you want to change the sign of each of the negative number to positive.

You may simply use the following Formula:

=B3 * SIGN(B3)

If the B3 is negative, SIGN(B3) is -1, and B3 * SIGN(B3) will be negative * negative, which will return positive.

If the B3 is positive, SIGN(B3) is +1, and B3 * SIGN(B3) will be positive * positive, which will return positive.

It will return 280.

Now, drag it get the values for the rest of the numbers.

Example #4

Suppose you have your monthly sales in F4:F10 and you want to find if your sales are going up and down.

To do so, you can use the following Formula—

=VLOOKUP(SIGN(F5 – F4), A5:B7, 2)

where A5:B7 contains the information of the up, zero and down.

The SIGN function will compare the current and previous month sales using the SIGN function, and VLOOKUP will pull the information from the VLOOKUP table and return whether the sales are going Up, zero or down.

and drag it to the rest of the cells.

Example #5

Suppose you have sales data from four different zones- East, West, North, and South for products A and B as shown below.

Now, you want the total sales amount for product A or East zone.

It can be calculated as:

=SUMPRODUCT(SIGN((B4:B15 = “EAST”) + (C4:C15 = “A”)) * F4:F15)

Let us see the above SIGN Function in detail.

B4:B15 = “EAST”

will give 1 if it is “EAST” else it will return 0. It will return {1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0}

C4:C15 = “A”

will give 1 if it is “A” else it will return 0. It will return {1, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0}

(B4:B15 = “EAST”) + (C4:C15 = “A”)

will return sum the two and {0, 1, 2}. It will return {2, 2, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 2, 0, 0}

SIGN((B4:B15 = “EAST”) + (C4:C15 = “A”))

will then return {0, 1} here since there is no negative number. It will return {1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0}.

SUMPRODUCT(SIGN((B4:B15 = “EAST”) + (C4:C15 = “A”)) * F4:F15)

will first take the product of the two matrix {1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 0} and {2000, 1500, 4800, 4500, 5000, 13000, 7200, 18000, 3300, 4800, 6500} which will return {2000, 1500, 4800, 4500, 0, 0, 7200, 0, 3300, 0, 0}, and then sum it.

This will finally return 23,300.

Similarly, to calculate the product sales for East or West zones, you may use the following SIGN formula—

=SUMPRODUCT(SIGN((B4:B15 = “EAST”) + (B4:B15 = “WEST”)) * F4:F15)

and for product A in East zone

=SUMPRODUCT(SIGN((B4:B15 = “EAST”) * (C4:C15 = “A”)) * F4:F15)