TRUNC Function in Excel: Cut Off Decimals Without Rounding

TRUNC Function in Excel: Cut Off Decimals Without Rounding featured illustration

📎 This article includes 1 downloadable practice file ↓

⏱ 2 min readUpdated 28 September 2026

MathLevel: IntermediateAvailable in: Excel 2007+

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

TRUNC drops digits after a given point, moving towards zero. Unlike INT, TRUNC(−8.9) is −8.

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Syntax

=TRUNC(number, [num_digits])
Argument What it means
num_digits Digits to keep (0 if omitted).

Examples

Example 1

=TRUNC(7.987, 2)

7.98

Example 2

=TRUNC(-8.9)

−8 (INT gives −9).

TRUNC in practice

Where you will use it

  • Drop decimals without rounding
  • Integer part of a value
  • Truncate to 2 decimals for tax rules

Worked example

ValueFormulaResult
12.987=TRUNC(A2,2)12.98
-4.6=TRUNC(A3,2)-4.6
999.999=TRUNC(A4,2)999.99

Results calculated in Excel.

Mistakes people make

MistakeWhat to do instead
Expecting roundingTRUNC cuts; ROUND rounds
Negatives vs INTTRUNC(-4.6)=-4, INT(-4.6)=-5

INT · ROUNDDOWN

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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.

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