This article explains how to use the ROUNDUP function in Excel to round a number away from zero by a specified number of decimal places or digits. Instructions in this article apply to Excel for Office365, Excel 2019, 2016, 2013, and 2010, Excel for Mac 2019, Excel for Mac 2016, and Excel for Mac 2011.

What to Know

  • Enter number into cell. Highlight a different cell > Formulas tab > Math & Trig > ROUNDUP.Select text box next to Number > highlight original cell. Select text box next to Num_digits.Type number of desired decimal places > OK.

How to Use the ROUNDUP Function

In this example, we’re going to reduce the number in cell A2 (above) to two decimal places using the ROUNDUP function. In the process, the function will increase the value of the rounding digit by one.

Options for inputting the function and its arguments include:

  • Type the complete function: =ROUNDUP(A2,2) into cell C3 in the worksheet; or
  • Select the function and arguments using the function’s dialog box.

Using the dialog box simplifies entering the function’s arguments. With this method, it’s not necessary to key in commas between each of the function’s arguments as you must when typing the function into a cell. (In this case between A2 and 2.)

  • Enter 242.24134 into cell A2.
  • Select cell C3 to make it the active cell — this is where the results of the ROUNDUP function will be displayed.
  • Select the Formulas tab of the ribbon menu.
  • Choose Math & Trig from the ribbon to open the function drop-down list.
  • Select ROUNDUP from the list to open the function’s dialog box.
  • Select the text box next to Number.
  • Select cell A2 in the worksheet to enter that cell reference into the dialog box as the location of the number to be rounded.
  • Select the text box next to Num_digits.
  • Type 2 to reduce the number in A2 from five to two decimal places.
  • Click OK to close the dialog box and return to the worksheet.
  • The answer 242.25 should appear in cell C3.

Select cell see the function = ROUNDUP(A2, 2 ) in the formula bar above the worksheet.

About Excel’s ROUNDUP Function

This is the syntax for the ROUNDUP function:

=ROUNDUP(Number,Num_digits)

A function’s syntax refers to the layout of the function and includes the function’s name, brackets, and arguments.

Number (required) is the value you want to round up.

This argument can contain the actual data for rounding, or it can be a cell reference to the location of the data in the worksheet.

Num_digits (required) is the number of digits that you want to round the Number argument to.

  • If the Num_digits argument is 0, the function rounds the value up to the nearest integer.
  • If the Num_digits argument is 1, the function leaves only one digit to the right of the decimal point and rounds it up to the next number.
  • If the Num_digits argument is negative, the function removes all decimal places and rounds up that number of digits to the left of the decimal point.

For example, if the value of the Num_digits argument is -2, the function will remove all digits to the right of the decimal point and round the first and second digits to the left of the decimal point up to the nearest 100.

That image also displays examples and explanations for several results returned by Excel’s ROUNDUP function for data in column A of the worksheet.

For an example of the last argument, if the value of the Num_digits argument is set to -2, the function will remove all digits to the right of the decimal point and round the first and second digits to the left of the decimal point up to the nearest 100 (as shown in row six in the above image).

The results, shown in column B, depends on the value of the Num_digits argument.

This function will always round upward, such as 4.649 to 4.65. When you use the ROUNDUP function on negative numbers, they decrease in value (away from zero).

Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day