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Yes, it is possible to write a Google Sheets formula that will return a “Yes” or “No” based on whether or not there is a match. This can be done by using the IF function, which allows you to specify a logical test and provide different outcomes based on the result. By using the IF function and defining the logical test as a match between two sets of data, you can set the formula to return “Yes” if there is a match and “No” if there is no match. This can be useful for quickly identifying and categorizing data within a spreadsheet.
Google Sheets Formula: If Match then Return Yes or No
You can use the following formula in Google Sheets to return Yes or No to indicate whether or not a given cell has a matching value in another range:
=IF(ISNUMBER(MATCH(C2,$A$2:$A$12,0)), "Yes", "No")
This particular formula checks if the value in cell C2 exists in the range A2:A12.
If it does exist, then the formula returns Yes.
If it does not exist, then the formula returns No.
The following example shows how to use this formula in practice.
Example: If Match Then Return Yes or No in Google Sheets
Suppose we have a list of basketball teams in column A and we’d like to check if each specific team in column C belongs to the larger list in column A:
We can type the following formula into cell D2 to do so:
=IF(ISNUMBER(MATCH(C2,$A$2:$A$12,0)), "Yes", "No")
We can then click and drag this formula down to each remaining cell in column D:
Column D now returns “Yes” or “No” to indicate if each team in the Specific Teams list belongs in the All Teams list.
For example:
- Thunder belongs in the All Teams list so the formula returns Yes.
- Hornets does not belong in the All Teams list so the formula returns No.
And so on.
=IF(ISNUMBER(MATCH(C2,$A$2:$A$12,0)), "Yes", "")
The following screenshot shows how to use this formula in practice:
If a team name in the Specific Teams list does not belong in the All Teams list, the formula now simply returns a blank value.
Cite this article
stats writer (2026). How to Return “Yes” or “No” Based on a Match in Google Sheets. PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Retrieved from https://scales.arabpsychology.com/stats/can-i-write-a-google-sheets-formula-to-return-yes-or-no-if-there-is-a-match/
stats writer. "How to Return “Yes” or “No” Based on a Match in Google Sheets." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 1 Feb. 2026, https://scales.arabpsychology.com/stats/can-i-write-a-google-sheets-formula-to-return-yes-or-no-if-there-is-a-match/.
stats writer. "How to Return “Yes” or “No” Based on a Match in Google Sheets." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 2026. https://scales.arabpsychology.com/stats/can-i-write-a-google-sheets-formula-to-return-yes-or-no-if-there-is-a-match/.
stats writer (2026) 'How to Return “Yes” or “No” Based on a Match in Google Sheets', PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Available at: https://scales.arabpsychology.com/stats/can-i-write-a-google-sheets-formula-to-return-yes-or-no-if-there-is-a-match/.
[1] stats writer, "How to Return “Yes” or “No” Based on a Match in Google Sheets," PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, February, 2026.
stats writer. How to Return “Yes” or “No” Based on a Match in Google Sheets. PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. 2026;vol(issue):pages.