Percentage change

1 / 5

How much did each region go up or down? Last year and this year are side by side; the change goes in D2:D7.

keyboard Typing formulas is easiest on a computer with a keyboard.

A1
ABCDE
1RegionLast yearThis yearChange
2North64007040
3South57008550
4East88008360
5West63007875
6Central50007500
7Online52005720
8
9
10
11
12
last year
this year
change
Type to enter a value or a formula starting with =. F2 edits, F4 adds $ to a reference.
Study notes

In a bit more detail

  • How do I work out a percentage change?

    Take the difference, then divide by where you started: =(new-old)/old. With last year in B2 and this year in C2, that's =(C2-B2)/B2.

  • Why the brackets?

    Excel divides before it subtracts. Without brackets, =C2-B2/B2 works out B2/B2 first (which is 1) and takes it away from C2.

  • Why divide by the old value?

    A change is measured against where you started. Going from 200 to 250 is up 25% (50 out of 200), not 20%.

  • What does a negative result mean?

    The figure went down: -10% means a fall of a tenth. Format the cells as percentages (the % button in Excel) to show 0.25 as 25%.

  • Is there a shorter way?

    =C2/B2-1 gives the same answer: this year as a share of last year, minus the whole.

Know someone fighting with a spreadsheet? Send them this page.