Excel function guide · Math & rounding
ROUND, ROUNDUP and ROUNDDOWN in Excel
ROUND rounds a number to the number of digits you specify: 2 for pennies, 0 for whole numbers, -3 for thousands. ROUNDUP always rounds away from zero and ROUNDDOWN always towards it.
Syntax
=ROUND(number, num_digits)
=ROUNDUP(number, num_digits)
=ROUNDDOWN(number, num_digits)
| Argument | Required? | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| number | Required | The value or formula to round. |
| num_digits | Required | Decimal places to keep. 0 rounds to a whole number; negative values round to tens (-1), hundreds (-2), thousands (-3). |
ROUND examples
Every example uses this small table. The results are what Excel shows in the cell.
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Item | Amount |
| 2 | Unit cost | 12.3456 |
| 3 | Commission | 1,874.625 |
| 4 | Mileage | 37.5 |
| 5 | Budget | 48,730 |
1. Two decimal places
=ROUND(B3, 2)
Result: 1,874.63
A 5 in the next digit rounds up: 1,874.625 becomes 1,874.63.
2. To the nearest hundred
=ROUND(B5, -2)
Result: 48,700
Negative num_digits rounds to the left of the decimal point.
3. Always up
=ROUNDUP(B4, 0)
Result: 38
37.5 miles claimed as whole miles, rounded up.
4. Always down
=ROUNDDOWN(B2, 1)
Result: 12.3
ROUNDDOWN cuts off digits without rounding: 12.3456 becomes 12.3.
Try it now
Practise ROUND in a live sheet.
Type each formula yourself. Answers are checked by the same engine as the full course. No account needed.
Step 1 of 3
In C2, round the unit cost to 2 decimal places.
Common ROUND mistakes
Formatting isn't rounding
Showing 2 decimal places only changes the display; the cell still holds 12.3456 and totals use it. That's how a column of displayed pennies can add up to a total that's a penny off. Use ROUND when the stored value matters.
Rounding the total versus each line
Rounding every line and then adding can differ from rounding the total. Follow whichever your invoice or policy specifies, and be consistent.
Negative digits
ROUND(B5, 3) keeps three decimals; ROUND(B5, -3) rounds to the nearest thousand. The sign matters.
Halves round away from zero
ROUND(2.5, 0) is 3 and ROUND(-2.5, 0) is -3. Excel's ROUND doesn't use banker's rounding.
Practise this in Excel Quest
ROUND, ROUNDUP & ROUNDDOWN Members
Course 2 · Essential Functions · 9 min
Set clean prices, ship whole boxes and quote round numbers — choosing the right rounding for each job.
This lesson is included in Formula Quest memberships. A free account starts you on the free lessons of the Excel Quest curriculum.