Formula Guide

The Excel ABS Function
explained simply

ABS strips the sign from a number, returning its absolute value — turning -8 and 8 into the same number.

ExcelPro · 3 min read · Updated June 2026
Contents
  1. What does ABS do?
  2. Syntax
  3. 3 examples
  4. FAQ

What does ABS do?

ABS returns the absolute value of a number — the number with its sign removed, so both -5 and 5 become 5.

The most common real use is comparing how far off two numbers are from each other regardless of direction — like flagging any variance over 10%, whether it is over or under budget.

Syntax

=ABS(number)
ArgumentDescription
number requiredThe number to remove the sign from.

Examples

Example 1
Remove a negative sign
=ABS(-12)

Returns 12.

Example 2
Variance regardless of direction
=ABS(B2-C2)

If actual minus budget is -500 or +500, ABS treats both as a 500 variance for flagging purposes.

Example 3
Flag any variance over a threshold
=IF(ABS(B2-C2)>1000,"Review","OK")

Combines ABS with IF to flag both significant overspend and underspend the same way.

Common mistakes

⚠️ Forgetting ABS does not change the original value

=ABS(A1) returns a new value; it does not overwrite A1 itself.

FAQ

Why use ABS instead of just checking >0 or <0?
ABS lets you compare magnitude regardless of direction in a single condition, rather than writing two separate IF branches.

Practise ABS with real data

ExcelPro has hands-on ABS exercises built into real job scenarios — free to start.

Try ABS exercises →

Related formulas

ROUND SQRT SIGN