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The IF function in Excel is a powerful tool that allows you to make logical comparisons between different values and then return a result based on these comparisons. The SMALL IF function is a variation of the IF function which returns the smallest value in a given array that meets the criteria defined by the user. This function can be used to quickly identify the smallest value from a range of data, or the smallest value that meets a specific criteria. For example, if you wanted to identify the smallest value in a range of numbers that were greater than 10, you could use the SMALL IF function to quickly get the answer.
You can use the following formulas to perform a SMALL IF function in Excel:
Formula 1: SMALL IF with One Criteria
=SMALL(IF(A2:A16="A",C2:C16),2)
This formula finds the 2nd smallest value in C2:C16 where the value in A2:A16 is equal to “A”.
Formula 2: SMALL IF with Multiple Criteria
=SMALL(IF((A2:A16="A")*(B2:B16="Forward"),C2:C16),2)
This formula finds the 2nd smallest value in C2:C16 where the value in A2:A16 is equal to “A” and the value in B2:B16 is equal to “Forward”.
The following examples show how to use each formula in practice with the following dataset in Excel:
Example 1: SMALL IF with One Criteria
We can use the following formula to find the 2nd smallest value in C2:C16 where the value in A2:A16 is equal to “A”:
=SMALL(IF(A2:A16="A",C2:C16),2)
The following screenshot shows how to use this formula:
This tells us that the 2nd smallest points value among all players on team A is 5.
Example 2: SMALL IF with Multiple Criteria
We can use the following formula to find the 2nd smallest value in C2:C16 where the value in A2:A16 is equal to “A” and the value in B2:B16 is equal to “Forward”:
=SMALL(IF((A2:A16="A")*(B2:B16="Forward"),C2:C16),2)
The following screenshot shows how to use this formula:
This tells us that the 2nd smallest points value among all Forwards on team A is 10.
Cite this article
stats writer (2025). How do you Use SMALL IF Function in Excel (With Examples). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Retrieved from https://scales.arabpsychology.com/stats/how-do-you-use-small-if-function-in-excel-with-examples/
stats writer. "How do you Use SMALL IF Function in Excel (With Examples)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 29 Nov. 2025, https://scales.arabpsychology.com/stats/how-do-you-use-small-if-function-in-excel-with-examples/.
stats writer. "How do you Use SMALL IF Function in Excel (With Examples)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 2025. https://scales.arabpsychology.com/stats/how-do-you-use-small-if-function-in-excel-with-examples/.
stats writer (2025) 'How do you Use SMALL IF Function in Excel (With Examples)', PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Available at: https://scales.arabpsychology.com/stats/how-do-you-use-small-if-function-in-excel-with-examples/.
[1] stats writer, "How do you Use SMALL IF Function in Excel (With Examples)," PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, November, 2025.
stats writer. How do you Use SMALL IF Function in Excel (With Examples). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. 2025;vol(issue):pages.