Syntax
SYD(cost, salvage, life, per)
| Parameter | Description |
|---|---|
| cost | Parameter of the SYD function. |
| salvage | Parameter of the SYD function. |
| life | Parameter of the SYD function. |
| per | Parameter of the SYD function. |
Examples
First year accelerated depreciation
Formula
=SYD(50000, 5000, 5, 1)
$15,000.00. A $50K asset with $5K salvage over 5 years gets $15K depreciation in year 1 (5/15 of the depreciable base).
Year 3 depreciation
Formula
=SYD(50000, 5000, 5, 3)
$9,000.00. By year 3, depreciation drops to $9K (3/15 of the depreciable base).
Last year depreciation
Formula
=SYD(50000, 5000, 5, 5)
$3,000.00. In the final year, only $3K is depreciated (1/15 of the base). Sum of all 5 years equals the full $45K depreciable amount.
Common Errors
#NUM!
Period is less than 1 or greater than life, or life is zero.
#VALUE!
An argument is not a valid number.
Tips
Higher early deductions
SYD gives larger depreciation deductions in the first years, which can reduce taxable income when you need it most — right after a large capital purchase.
Total always equals cost minus salvage
Sum SYD across all periods and it will exactly equal cost minus salvage value, just like SLN — the timing differs, not the total.
Compare with DDB
SYD is accelerated but less aggressive than DDB (double-declining balance). Try both methods to see which better matches your asset's actual value curve.
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