Excel WhisperExcel Whisper

How to Use MINIFS Function in Excel

Complete MINIFS guide with practical examples and step-by-step instructions

MINIFS is Excel's powerful function for finding minimum values based on multiple criteria. Perfect for analyzing sales data, comparing performance metrics, or finding the lowest values that meet specific conditions. Learn through practical examples from basic conditional minimums to advanced multi-criteria analysis.

Try MINIFS Online

Test MINIFS function directly in browser - faster and simpler than Excel

Pro Mode
Try this

Drop Excel or CSV files here

Upload up to 2 files (10MB total)โ€ข
Free Plan
Upgrade to Standard for higher limits โ†’

MINIFS Function Guide

Step-by-step instructions for using MINIFS effectively

Function Syntax

=MINIFS(min_range, criteria_range1, criteria1, [criteria_range2, criteria2], ...)

How to Use

1

Select the cell where you want the minimum result

2

Type =MINIFS( to start the function

3

Select the range containing values you want to find the minimum from

4

Add a comma, then select the first criteria range (the range to check conditions against)

5

Add a comma, then enter the first criteria (condition) in quotes or as a cell reference

6

Repeat steps 4-5 for additional criteria ranges and conditions (up to 127 pairs)

7

Close the parentheses and press Enter to complete the formula

Use Cases

Sales Performance Analysis

Find lowest sales figures by region, product type, or time period to identify underperforming areas

Budget Management

Identify minimum costs or expenses within specific categories or departments for budget optimization

Quality Control

Find minimum quality scores or ratings for products meeting certain specifications

Resource Allocation

Determine minimum resource requirements for projects with specific parameters

Inventory Management

Find minimum stock levels for products in specific categories or locations

Tips & Best Practices

  • 1MINIFS ignores empty cells and text values in the min_range automatically
  • 2Criteria can be exact matches, wildcards (*, ?), or comparison operators (<, >, =, etc.)
  • 3Use cell references for criteria to make formulas dynamic and easier to update
  • 4Combine with other functions like IF or IFERROR for more robust error handling
  • 5For date criteria, ensure consistent date formats across your data
  • 6MINIFS is available in Excel 2019 and Excel 365 - use MIN with IF for older versions

MINIFS FAQ

Common questions and solutions for MINIFS function

MIN finds the smallest value in a range without conditions, while MINIFS finds the smallest value that meets one or more specific criteria. MINIFS is much more powerful for conditional analysis.

Yes! MINIFS works with text criteria. You can use exact text matches, wildcards like "Sales*" for text starting with 'Sales', or "*2024" for text ending with '2024'.

MINIFS supports up to 127 criteria range/criteria pairs, giving you extensive flexibility for complex conditional analysis.

MINIFS returns a #VALUE! error if no values meet the specified criteria. Consider using IFERROR to handle this: =IFERROR(MINIFS(...), "No matches found")

Absolutely! MINIFS works excellently with dates. Use criteria like ">="&DATE(2024,1,1) for dates after Jan 1, 2024, or reference cells containing dates.

Common issues: 1) Mismatched range sizes between min_range and criteria_range, 2) Incorrect criteria syntax, 3) No values meeting criteria, or 4) Using MINIFS in older Excel versions that don't support it.