Excel Formula Not Equal

Introduction to Excel Formula Not Equal

Excel is a powerful spreadsheet software that offers a wide range of formulas and functions to perform various calculations and operations. One of the most commonly used formulas in Excel is the “Not Equal” formula, which is used to compare two values and return a result if they are not equal. In this article, we will discuss the Excel formula not equal, its syntax, and examples of how to use it.

Syntax of the Not Equal Formula

The syntax of the Not Equal formula in Excel is as follows:

=A1<>B1

Where A1 and B1 are the cells that you want to compare. The <> symbol is used to indicate that the values in the two cells are not equal.

Examples of the Not Equal Formula

Here are a few examples of how to use the Not Equal formula in Excel:

• =A1<>B1: This formula compares the values in cells A1 and B1 and returns TRUE if they are not equal, and FALSE if they are equal.
• =A1<>5: This formula compares the value in cell A1 with the number 5 and returns TRUE if they are not equal, and FALSE if they are equal.
• =A1<>“apple”: This formula compares the value in cell A1 with the text “apple” and returns TRUE if they are not equal, and FALSE if they are equal.

Using the Not Equal Formula with IF Function

The Not Equal formula can be used with the IF function to perform a logical test and return a value based on the result. The syntax of the IF function is as follows:

=IF(A1<>B1, “Not Equal”, “Equal”)

This formula compares the values in cells A1 and B1 and returns the text “Not Equal” if they are not equal, and “Equal” if they are equal.

Using the Not Equal Formula with Conditional Formatting

The Not Equal formula can be used with conditional formatting to highlight cells that contain values that are not equal to a specific value. To use conditional formatting with the Not Equal formula, follow these steps:

• Select the cells that you want to format.
• Go to the Home tab and click on the Conditional Formatting button.
• Click on New Rule and select “Use a formula to determine which cells to format”.
• Enter the formula =A1<>B1 and click on the Format button.
• Choose the format that you want to apply and click on OK.

Common Errors with the Not Equal Formula

Here are a few common errors that you may encounter when using the Not Equal formula:

• Typo in the formula: Make sure that you enter the formula correctly, with the correct syntax and without any typos.
• Incorrect cell references: Make sure that you enter the correct cell references in the formula.
• Incorrect data type: Make sure that the data type of the values that you are comparing is correct. For example, if you are comparing text values, make sure that they are enclosed in quotation marks.

📝 Note: The Not Equal formula is case-sensitive, so "Apple" and "apple" would be considered not equal.

Conclusion and Summary

In summary, the Not Equal formula in Excel is a powerful tool that can be used to compare two values and return a result if they are not equal. The formula can be used with the IF function to perform a logical test and return a value based on the result, and with conditional formatting to highlight cells that contain values that are not equal to a specific value. By following the examples and tips in this article, you can use the Not Equal formula to perform a wide range of tasks in Excel.