Excel TRUNC Function
Chala mitrano — today TRUNC. Chop extra decimals toward zero — −3.9 becomes −3 when digits = 0.
चला मित्रांनो — आज TRUNC. अतिरिक्त decimals शून्याकडे कापा — −3.9 → −3 जेव्हा digits = 0.
चलो दोस्तों — आज TRUNC. अतिरिक्त decimals शून्य की ओर काटो — −3.9 → −3 जब digits = 0।
Purpose
Truncate a number to a given number of digits toward zero (drop extra digits).
Return value
The truncated number.
Syntax
Arguments
| Argument | Required? | Description |
|---|---|---|
number | Required | Value to truncate. |
num_digits | Optional | Digits to keep after the decimal (default 0). |
Version
All Excel versions. LibreOffice Calc too.
How to use — Why → What → How
Why: Some reports must drop decimals without the floor surprise on negatives. TRUNC is that chop. Cut-off decimals in Belagavi labs and Toronto reports. Mixed ₹ and $. In Indian back offices and foreign sister teams, TRUNC shows up on totals, rates and pack sheets every week.
What: TRUNC removes fractional digits toward zero. Optional num_digits keeps that many decimals. Read every argument in the table once before you type; each one changes the answer on purpose.
How — numbered steps:
- Type =TRUNC(B2) or =TRUNC(B2,2).
- Compare with INT on a negative.
- ROUNDDOWN with positive numbers often matches TRUNC.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Friends, after TRUNC, find one column or range in a real workbook this week where this lesson saves time.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, TRUNC नंतर या आठवड्यात खरी workbook मधील एक संख्या column सुधारा.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, TRUNC के बाद इस हफ़्ते असली workbook का एक संख्या column सुधारो.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Friends, sleep on TRUNC; rebuild example 1 tomorrow without looking.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, TRUNC वर झोपा; उद्या उदाहरण 1 न पाहता लिहा.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, TRUNC पर सोकर कल उदाहरण 1 बिना देखे लिखो.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Friends, say the business question in plain words before =TRUNC.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, =TRUNC आधी व्यवसाय प्रश्न साध्या शब्दांत सांगा.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, =TRUNC 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 TRUNC chain.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, लांब TRUNC chain वर विश्वास ठेवण्यापूर्वी कॅल्क्युलेटरने एक ज्ञात case तपासा.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, लंबी TRUNC chain पर भरोसा करने से पहले कैलकुलेटर से एक जाना हुआ case जाँचो.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Friends, after you finish TRUNC, open yesterday’s real workbook and find one place this function would have saved ten minutes.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, TRUNC नंतर कालची खरी वर्कबुक उघडा आणि शोधा जिथे हे फंक्शन दहा मिनिटे वाचवू शकले असते.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, TRUNC के बाद कल की असली वर्कबुक खोलो और ढूँढो जहाँ यह फ़ंक्शन दस मिनट बचा सकता था.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
Friends, treat TRUNC like a seatbelt on number columns — check a known case first.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – मराठी
मित्रांनो, TRUNC ला संख्या columns वरील seatbelt समजा — आधी ज्ञात case तपासा.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip – हिंदी
दोस्तों, TRUNC को संख्या columns पर seatbelt समझो — पहले जाना हुआ case जाँचो.
Download practice file: practice-trunc.xlsx (includes sheet About this data, practice sheets, and Answers).
Worked examples
1) Drop decimals
Belagavi.
| n |
|---|
| 3.9 |
Result: 3
What it means: Toward zero → 3.
2) Negative
Key.
| n |
|---|
| -3.9 |
Result: -3
What it means: Toward zero → −3 (INT would be −4).
3) Two decimals
Money chop.
| ₹ |
|---|
| 12.349 |
Result: 12.34
What it means: Keep two digits, drop the rest.
4) Toronto $
Report.
| $ |
|---|
| 9.99 |
Result: 9
What it means: $9.
5) Already short
1.2 with 2 digits.
| n |
|---|
| 1.2 |
Result: 1.2
What it means: Nothing to drop.
6) vs INT
Same positive.
| n |
|---|
| 7.2 |
Result: 7
What it means: Matches INT on positives.
Common errors and fixes
Notes and tips
- Revisit the TRUNC 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: TRUNC vs INT on −3.9 from memory.
- TRUNC vs INT: toward zero versus floor toward −∞.
- Fictional sample data only — names and amounts are for learning.
- Print the TRUNC revision card for one week of real worksheets.
- Ask juniors to predict before they press Enter.
- Track your top mistake with this function monthly.
- Cut-off decimals in Belagavi labs and Toronto reports. 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 TRUNC 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: TRUNC vs INT on −3.9 from memory. Cut-off decimals in Belagavi labs and Toronto reports. Mixed ₹ and $. Classroom drill: write three brand-new TRUNC 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
TRUNC vs INT: toward zero versus floor toward −∞.
Interview corner
- TRUNC vs INT?
- Toward zero vs floor.
- Money chop?
- TRUNC(n,2).
- Default digits?
- 0.
Related functions
Practice tasks (10)
- Task 1. TRUNC 3.9.Pos.
- Task 2. TRUNC -3.9.Neg.
- Task 3. Two decimals.2.
- Task 4. Compare INT.Interview.
- Task 5. Fill.Fill.
- Task 6. Doc.Note.
- Task 7. Teach.Teach.
- Task 8. $ floor chop.$
- Task 9. Already short.1.2
- Task 10. Bonus ROUNDDOWN.Related.
Quick quiz
Answers: Q1=3, Q2=-3, Q3=12.34, Q4=0, Q5=-4 (check after you try).
Revision card
Standalone card (no tip or photo strip). QR opens this lesson. Download the PNG and revise offline.
