Comparing Values With Operators

An IF test is only as smart as the question you ask. Comparison operators are the symbols that let you ask those questions.

They compare two values and hand back a simple answer: TRUE or FALSE. That answer is exactly what IF needs to choose an outcome.

There are six comparison operators you will use constantly:

• = equal to
• > greater than
• < less than
• >= greater than or equal to
• <= less than or equal to
• <> not equal to

Each one produces TRUE or FALSE when placed between two values.

Use > and < for clear comparisons that exclude the boundary.

If A2 holds 80, then A2 > 75 is TRUE because 80 is bigger than 75. But A2 < 75 is FALSE.

Drop that test straight into IF to label high scorers:

What if the cutoff itself should count? Use >= or <=.

A passing grade of "60 or higher" must include 60 itself. So A2 >= 60 is correct, while A2 > 60 would wrongly fail a student who scored exactly 60.

Choosing between > and >= is one of the most common decisions in logical formulas.

Use a single = inside the test to check whether two values match.

To see if a status cell says "Done":

Remember the very first = starts the formula. The second = is the equality comparison inside the test.

Operators work on text too, not just numbers. When comparing words, wrap the text in double quotes.

Text comparison with = ignores capitalization in most spreadsheets, so "YES", "Yes", and "yes" all count as equal to "yes".

This makes checking categories, labels, and answers very easy.

The <> operator means "is different from". It is TRUE whenever the two values do not match.

To flag any row that is not yet approved:

This is handy for catching exceptions: anything other than the expected value triggers the action.

You can even type a comparison by itself, without IF, to see the raw result.

Entering =A2 > 100 in a cell shows TRUE or FALSE directly. This is a great way to test your logic before wrapping it in IF.

Once the comparison gives the right TRUE/FALSE, you know your IF test will behave.

Column A holds spending and column B holds the budget for each department. You want to flag overspending.

The question is "Did spending exceed the budget?" which is A2 > B2. For row 2:

Any department whose spending beats its budget instantly shows the warning.

Picking the correct operator is the difference between a right and wrong answer. Ask yourself:

• Should the cutoff value itself count? Use >= or <=
• Must it be exactly something? Use =
• Should it be anything but a value? Use <>

A single misplaced operator can silently miss the boundary cases.

All six operators behave identically in Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. The symbols =, >, <, >=, <=, and <> are universal.

Master them once and you can build logical tests anywhere a spreadsheet runs.

Pick the operator that matches the requirement.

You now have the building blocks of every logical test:

• Six operators: =, >, <, >=, <=, <>
• Each compares two values and returns TRUE or FALSE
• Use >= or <= when the boundary should count
• Wrap text in quotes; capitalization is ignored for equality
• Test a comparison alone before placing it in IF

Next you will decide what IF actually returns once the test is answered.