Excel SIGN Function
Chala mitrano — today SIGN. Direction only — positive 1, zero 0, negative −1.
चला मित्रांनो — आज SIGN. फक्त दिशा — धन 1, शून्य 0, ऋण −1.
चलो दोस्तों — आज SIGN. सिर्फ़ दिशा — धनात्मक 1, शून्य 0, ऋणात्मक −1।
Purpose
Return 1 for positive, 0 for zero, and -1 for negative.
Return value
1, 0, or -1.
Syntax
Arguments
| Argument | Required? | Description |
|---|---|---|
number | Required | Any number to classify by sign. |
Version
All Excel versions. LibreOffice Calc too.
How to use — Why → What → How
Why: Dashboards need up/down flags without showing the full gap. SIGN is the tiny direction code. Direction flags in Vizag ports and Antwerp yards. Mixed ₹ and €. In Indian back offices and foreign sister teams, SIGN shows up on totals, rates and pack sheets every week.
What: SIGN returns 1 if number > 0, 0 if number = 0, and -1 if number < 0. Read every argument in the table once before you type; each one changes the answer on purpose.
How — numbered steps:
- Type =SIGN(B2).
- Pair with ABS for size + direction.
- Wrap with IF for Up/Down labels.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Friends, after SIGN, find one column or range in a real workbook this week where this lesson saves time.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, SIGN नंतर या आठवड्यात खरी workbook मधील एक संख्या column सुधारा.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, SIGN के बाद इस हफ़्ते असली workbook का एक संख्या column सुधारो.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Friends, sleep on SIGN; rebuild example 1 tomorrow without looking.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, SIGN वर झोपा; उद्या उदाहरण 1 न पाहता लिहा.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, SIGN पर सोकर कल उदाहरण 1 बिना देखे लिखो.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Friends, say the business question in plain words before =SIGN.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, =SIGN आधी व्यवसाय प्रश्न साध्या शब्दांत सांगा.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, =SIGN से पहले व्यवसाय प्रश्न सादे शब्दों में बोलो.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Friends, check a known case with a calculator before you trust a long SIGN chain.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, लांब SIGN chain वर विश्वास ठेवण्यापूर्वी कॅल्क्युलेटरने एक ज्ञात case तपासा.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, लंबी SIGN chain पर भरोसा करने से पहले कैलकुलेटर से एक जाना हुआ case जाँचो.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Friends, after you finish SIGN, open yesterday’s real workbook and find one place this function would have saved ten minutes.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, SIGN नंतर कालची खरी वर्कबुक उघडा आणि शोधा जिथे हे फंक्शन दहा मिनिटे वाचवू शकले असते.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, SIGN के बाद कल की असली वर्कबुक खोलो और ढूँढो जहाँ यह फ़ंक्शन दस मिनट बचा सकता था.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Friends, treat SIGN like a seatbelt on number columns — check a known case first.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, SIGN ला संख्या columns वरील seatbelt समजा — आधी ज्ञात case तपासा.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, SIGN को संख्या columns पर seatbelt समझो — पहले जाना हुआ case जाँचो.
Download practice file: practice-sign.xlsx (includes sheet About this data, practice sheets, and Answers).
Worked examples
1) Positive
Vizag.
| Gap |
|---|
| 12 |
Result: 1
What it means: Up / positive.
2) Negative
Down.
| Gap |
|---|
| -4 |
Result: -1
What it means: Down.
3) Zero
Flat.
| Gap |
|---|
| 0 |
Result: 0
What it means: No change.
4) Antwerp €
Label.
| € |
|---|
| -8 |
Result: Down
What it means: Friendly label.
5) With ABS
Size + dir.
| Gap |
|---|
| -20 |
Result: -20
What it means: Rebuild signed value (demo).
6) ₹ variance
Pune.
| Plan | Actual |
|---|---|
| 100 | 120 |
Result: 1
What it means: Actual above plan → 1.
Common errors and fixes
Notes and tips
- Revisit the SIGN errors table after the quiz.
- Build example 1 from memory on a blank sheet.
- Check number vs text if a result looks wrong.
- Teach one tip in Marathi or Hindi this week.
- Keep currency symbols consistent inside one report column (practice mixes ₹ $ £ €).
- Drill: Up/Down column with SIGN+IF from memory.
- SIGN vs ABS: direction code versus magnitude.
- Fictional sample data only — names and amounts are for learning.
- Print the SIGN revision card for one week of real worksheets.
- Ask juniors to predict before they press Enter.
- Track your top mistake with this function monthly.
- Direction flags in Vizag ports and Antwerp yards. Mixed ₹ and €.
- Interview tip: explain the business question before the formula.
- Classroom drill: invent three brand-new formulas from your city without the page open.
- If a result looks wrong, check blanks vs zeros before rewriting.
- When Excel versions differ, note the LibreOffice / Sheets fallback in a cell comment.
- Prefer clear ranges over whole-column refs on huge sheets if speed matters.
- Document units (₹, kg, days) in the header so totals stay honest.
- Print the revision card for SIGN for one week of real worksheets.
- When helping a junior, ask them to predict before Enter.
- Share one tip with a classmate in Marathi or Hindi.
- Keep currency symbols consistent inside a single report column.
- Interview tip: explain the business question before the formula.
- If a result looks wrong, check blanks vs zeros before rewriting maths.
- When Excel versions differ, write a LibreOffice fallback under a comment.
In real work
Drill: Up/Down column with SIGN+IF from memory. Direction flags in Vizag ports and Antwerp yards. Mixed ₹ and €. Classroom drill: write three brand-new SIGN formulas on a blank sheet using names from your own city — if you can invent them without the page open, you own the skill. Then break one formula on purpose and watch the error; recovering from that break is half of interview readiness. Always verify with a known case before trusting a long chain. Keep a personal notebook of the one mistake you make most often with this function; review it monthly.
How it compares
SIGN vs ABS: direction code versus magnitude.
Interview corner
- SIGN vs ABS?
- Direction vs size.
- SIGN(0)?
- 0.
- Labels?
- IF.
Related functions
Practice tasks (10)
- Task 1. SIGN of 12.1.
- Task 2. SIGN of -4.-1.
- Task 3. Zero case.0.
- Task 4. IF Down label.IF.
- Task 5. Explain vs ABS.Interview.
- Task 6. Fill.Fill.
- Task 7. Doc.Note.
- Task 8. Teach.Teach.
- Task 9. Plan vs actual.₹
- Task 10. Bonus N().Related.
Quick quiz
Answers: Q1=1, Q2=-1, Q3=0, Q4=ABS, Q5=IF + SIGN (check after you try).
Revision card
Standalone card (no tip or photo strip). QR opens this lesson. Download the PNG and revise offline.
