Google Sheets SUMIF | How to Use SUMIF Formula | Step-by-Step Tutorial

Google Sheets SUMIF is a formula that helps you sum, based on a criterion you specify. The SUMIF forumula takes three parameters. Let's take a quick look at these Google Sheets SUMIF
parameters. The first parameter is what can be called as the source range. The second is the "if" criterion. The third attribute of the SUMIF formula is optional and is the target range.

If the criterion is met, Sheets sums the relevant numbers in the target range. Note that you can apply the SUMIF formula on the source range if it is numeric. In such a case, of course, you do not have to specify the target range.

The format of the SUMIF formula is:

=SUMIF(source range,criterion,target range)

When do you use all the three parameters of the Google Sheets SUMIF function? If you want to sum numbers in the target range if the criterion that applies to the data in the source range
is met.

Let's illustrate the SUMIF formula with an example. Say, cells A2 to A10 have text data like Computers, WiFi Routers, and Hard disk. Some of the text data may repeat.

Let's assume that cells A2 and A7 have the text Computers. Here, the cell range A2 to A10 is the source range. Further say that cells B2 to B10 have numbers. These cells are the target range.

To sum the quantity of Computers and store the result in, say cell C2, type the SUMIF formula in C2:

=SUMIF(A2:A10,"computers",B2:B10)

If cells B2 and B7 have values of 10 and 50 respectively, then the result of the SUMIF function will be 60.

Here is another example of the Google Sheets SUMIF function. It uses only two parameters. The first is the source range and the second is the criterion.

=SUMIF(B2:B10,"=30")

Say cells B3, B5 and B6 each have a value of 30. Because the criterion is met by these cells, the result of the SUMIF formula will be 90.

Using SUMIF function is quite straight forward. When you want to sum a range based on a criterion, the Google Sheets SUMIF formula helps you to do so.