Excel Switch function – the compact form of nested IF statement

This article introduces the Excel SWITCH function, explaining its syntax and demonstrating its use in simplifying complex nested IF statements. If you've struggled with lengthy nested IF formulas, the SWITCH function offers a significant time-saving solution. While previously limited to VBA, SWITCH is now integrated into Excel 2016, Excel Online, Excel Mobile, and Excel for Android devices.

Note: Currently, SWITCH is available in Excel for Microsoft 365, Excel Online, Excel 2019, and Excel 2016 (with Microsoft 365 subscriptions).

Excel SWITCH Function Syntax

The SWITCH function compares an expression to a list of values, returning the result corresponding to the first matching value. A default value can be specified for cases where no match is found.

The function's structure is:

SWITCH( expression, value1, result1, [value2, result2],…[valueN, resultN], default)

It takes a minimum of three arguments, with the default argument being optional:

• Expression: The required argument compared against the value list.
• ValueN: Values compared against the expression.
• ResultN: The value returned if the corresponding ValueN matches the expression. A ResultN must be provided for each ValueN.
• Default: The value returned if no ValueN matches the expression. This is the optional, final argument.

Excel's argument limit of 254 allows for up to 126 value/result pairs.

SWITCH vs. Nested IF: Use Cases

Both SWITCH and IF handle conditional logic, but SWITCH uses an expression and value/result pairs, rather than multiple conditional statements. SWITCH's advantage lies in avoiding repeated expressions, a common issue in nested IF formulas. While nested IFs are functional, they become unwieldy with numerous conditions.

Consider these examples:

Example 1: Acronym Expansion

Let's say you need to expand acronyms:

• DR: Duplicate Remover
• MTW: Merge Tables Wizard
• CR: Combine Rows

SWITCH provides a concise solution:

In contrast, the equivalent nested IF formula is more verbose and requires repeating the expression:

Example 2: Rating System

A rating system provides another clear comparison, showcasing SWITCH's compactness:

Compared to the nested IF version:

Example 3: Date Comparison

This example uses TODAY and DAYS functions with SWITCH to determine if a date is today, tomorrow, or yesterday. SWITCH's efficiency is evident:

The nested IF equivalent is significantly more complex and prone to errors:

In conclusion, the often-overlooked Excel SWITCH function is a powerful tool for creating efficient and readable conditional logic, significantly improving upon the limitations of nested IF statements in many scenarios.

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