ABS Function in Excel: Absolute Value (Remove the Minus Sign)

📎 This article includes 1 downloadable practice file ↓

MathLevel: BeginnerAvailable in: Excel 2007+

In this article

1. Syntax
2. Examples
3. Example 1
4. Example 2
5. ABS in practice
6. Where you will use it
7. Worked example
8. Mistakes people make
9. Related functions
10. Continue learning

ABS returns a number without its sign: −250 becomes 250.

Syntax

=ABS(number)

Argument	What it means
number	Any number.

Examples

Example 1

=ABS(B2-C2)

Size of a difference, whichever way round.

Example 2

=IF(ABS(B2-C2)<=1, "OK", "Check")

Reconciliation with a ₹1 tolerance for rounding.

ABS in practice

Where you will use it

• Size of a budget variance regardless of over/under spend
• Distance between two readings, e.g. stock count vs system stock
• Tolerance checks: flag differences above Rs 100 either way

Worked example

Variance size, ignoring whether it is over or under budget.

Head	Budget	Actual	Formula	Result
Rent	50000	47500	=ABS(C2-B2)	2500
Travel	20000	26300	=ABS(C3-B3)	6300
Salaries	410000	410000	=ABS(C4-B4)	0

Results calculated in Excel.

Mistakes people make

Mistake	What to do instead
Using ABS on the total of variances	Take ABS of each row first, then SUM, or overs and unders cancel out
Losing the direction completely	Keep a signed variance column too; ABS only shows size

Related functions

ROUND · SIGN · IF

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📎 Practice files for this article

• 📗
  Practice workbook: Math & rounding24 tasks on realistic sales data — type your formula, the Check column turns green when it is right. Answers sheet included.
  ⬇ XLSX · 35 KB

Free to use for learning. Files with macros (.bas) are plain text — import them with Alt+F11 → File → Import File, and always test on a copy.