Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Using the TRUNC Worksheet Function.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 2, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
There may be times when you need to "truncate" a number at a certain number of digits. For this purpose Excel provides the TRUNC worksheet function. TRUNC can work with either one or two arguments, as necessary for your purposes. When used with only a single argument, TRUNC simply drops off any part of the number after the decimal point. For instance, consider the following:
=TRUNC(12.34)
This returns a value of 12, which is everything to the left of the decimal point. This result may look familiar, and you may be tempted to think that TRUNC does the same thing as the INT function. There are several differences, however. Consider a scenario where the argument is less than zero:
=TRUNC(-43.21)
In this instance, TRUNC returns -43, not -44 as INT would. Remember, when using TRUNC with a single argument, it simply drops everything to the right of the decimal point.
If you use a second argument with TRUNC, you can specify the number of decimal places at which you want the truncation to occur. For instance, the following formula returns a value of 12.3:
=TRUNC(12.34,1)
If you use a negative value for the second argument, the truncation takes place to the left of the decimal point. This has the same effect as returning powers of 10. For instance, consider the following example, which returns the value of 1200:
=TRUNC(1234.5678,-2)
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (11703) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Using the TRUNC Worksheet Function.
Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!
Need to figure out if a particular cell contains text? You can use the ISTEXT function to easily return this bit of trivia.
Discover MoreWhen you use a function like SUM, you expect it to do its job and return the total for a range of cells. If it doesn't ...
Discover MoreThe DSUM function is very handy when you need to calculate a sum based on data that matches criteria you specify. If you ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2021-10-05 03:45:08
Lars
Be careful
=TRUNC(1294,-2)
also returns 1200. It does nou round to powers of ten.
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here:
Comments