The ROUND, ROUNDUP and ROUNDDOWN functions in Excel
ROUND rounds a number to the number of digits you choose: 2 for cents, 0 for whole numbers, -2 for hundreds. Halves round away from zero, so 2.5 becomes 3.
Its siblings ROUNDUP and ROUNDDOWN always go in one direction, which is what you need for things like "how many boxes" or "completed hours".
Rounding with a function changes the value. The decimal buttons on the Home tab only change how it looks, and the hidden decimals still count in later calculations.
Syntax
=ROUND(number, num_digits)
| Argument | What it means |
|---|---|
| number | The number or cell to round. |
| num_digits | How many decimal places to keep. 0 = whole number, negative values round to tens (-1), hundreds (-2) and so on. |
Examples
1. Two decimal places
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Value | 3.1416 |
| 2 | Rounded | 3.14 |
Keeps two decimals. The third decimal (1) is below 5, so it rounds down.
2. To a whole number
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Value | 2.5 |
| 2 | Rounded | 3 |
Exactly half rounds away from zero: 2.5 → 3 (and -2.5 → -3).
3. To the nearest hundred
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Budget | 1234 |
| 2 | Rounded | 1200 |
A negative number of digits rounds to the left of the decimal point: -2 means hundreds.
4. Always round up: ROUNDUP
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | People | 23 |
| 2 | Seats per car | 4 |
| 3 | Cars needed | 6 |
23 / 4 = 5.75, and 5 cars aren't enough. ROUNDUP always goes up to the next whole number.
5. Always round down: ROUNDDOWN
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hours worked | 7.9 |
| 2 | Full hours | 7 |
Only completed hours count: 7.9 becomes 7.
Common mistakes
Rounding only the display. The totals then don't match the numbers you see, because hidden decimals are still added.
Fix: Use ROUND where the rounded value matters, e.g. on each line of an invoice.
Leaving out num_digits. ROUND needs both arguments.
Fix: Write
=ROUND(B1,0)for a whole number.
Frequently asked questions
How do I round to the nearest 0.5 or 5?
Use MROUND: =MROUND(B1,0.5) rounds to the nearest half.
What's the difference between ROUNDDOWN and INT?
For positive numbers they match. For negative numbers INT goes down (-7.9 → -8), while ROUNDDOWN goes toward zero (-7.9 → -7).