Some Excel formulas are more complex than others, especially when they involve combining multiple functions into a single formula. These are known as compound functions. For example, the SUMIF function combines elements of both the SUM and IF functions, allowing users to sum values that meet specific criteria. However, it doesn’t work quite like a direct combination of SUM and IF functions. Let's dive into it.

It's important to note that the criterion applies to the values or cells being evaluated for summation, not the sum itself. This distinction can be confusing, as it's easy to assume that if the criterion isn't met, the function won't return a sum.

To better understand how this works, you can break the function down into its components and follow the steps it takes to perform the calculation. Let's start by looking at an example with the IF formula.

You can break this function into its components and analyze the steps it takes to understand how it works. Let's start with an IF formula.

Afterward, you can simply use the SUM formula for the C1:C6 cells and get the same result as with the SUMIF formula. However, the SUMIF formula is more convenient, as it performs everything in one step. It's also less error-prone since you don't need to add a condition for the if_false argument, as you would with the IF formula.