Syntax
N(value)
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| value | Parameter of the N function. |
Examples
Convert logical to number
Formula
=SUM(A1:A10) + N(B1="Bonus")*500
Adds 500 to the sum only when B1 is "Bonus". N converts the TRUE/FALSE result to 1/0 for multiplication.
Inline formula comment
Formula
=A1*0.08 + N("Sales tax rate")
N("Sales tax rate") returns 0, adding nothing to the result but serving as a readable comment inside the formula.
Date to serial number
Formula
=N(DATE(2026,1,1))
Returns 46023 (the serial number for Jan 1, 2026). Useful when you need the raw date number for calculations.
Common Errors
#VALUE!
Occurs if the argument is an error value. N does not suppress errors — they pass through.
Tips
Inline comments trick
N("your note here") always returns 0, so you can add it anywhere in a formula as a self-documenting comment without affecting the result.
TRUE = 1, FALSE = 0
N is the explicit way to convert booleans to numbers. In most formulas you can also multiply by 1 or add 0 to achieve the same thing.
Works on dates
N converts a date to its serial number. This is the same number you'd see if you formatted the date cell as a number.
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