5 Simple Ways to Calculate Percent Change in Excel

Understanding how to calculate percent change in Microsoft Excel can be incredibly useful, whether you're analyzing financial data, tracking progress, or simply comparing numbers. Excel, with its array of powerful functions, provides several straightforward methods to compute percent change, making it an essential tool for anyone dealing with numbers. Let's explore five simple ways to perform this calculation:

Method 1: Using the Percentage Difference Formula

The most common method for calculating percent change involves using a basic mathematical formula:

• Original Value: The value from which the change is calculated.
• New Value: The value to which the change is compared.

The formula for percent change is:

((New Value - Original Value) / Original Value) * 100

Here's how to implement this in Excel:

• In an empty cell, enter the formula like this: =((B2-A2)/A2)*100 where A2 is the original value and B2 is the new value.
• Press Enter to see the percent change.

🔍 Note: Be sure to format the cell displaying the result as a percentage for it to display correctly.

Method 2: Subtracting Percentage from 100

Another way to calculate percent change is by subtracting the percentage of the original value from 100:

100 - (New Value / Original Value) * 100

• Enter this formula in a cell: =100-((B2/A2)*100)
• This method can be useful if you're looking for the complement of the change rather than the change itself.

Method 3: Using Excel’s Built-in Functions

Excel has functions like PERCENTAGE that can help with this calculation:

• In Excel, you can use the formula: =(B2-A2)/A2*PERCENTAGE(1,0), where PERCENTAGE(1,0) returns 100 as a percentage.

Method 4: The Cell Reference Approach

If you prefer not to type out the formula, you can reference cells with the formula:

• In a cell, reference the original value and new value cells, and create a dynamic formula like: =PERCENT_CHANGE(A2,B2), assuming you’ve defined this function elsewhere.
• Define the PERCENT_CHANGE function as follows:

Function PERCENT_CHANGE(original, new) As Double
  PERCENT_CHANGE = (new - original) / original * 100
End Function

Method 5: Using Conditional Formatting

While not a direct calculation, conditional formatting can visually highlight percent changes:

• Select the cells where you want to see the percent changes.
• Go to ‘Home’ > ‘Conditional Formatting’ > ‘New Rule’.
• Choose ‘Use a formula to determine which cells to format.’
• Enter the formula: =(B2-A2)/A2 to format cells where the percent change meets certain conditions.

This method won’t display the percentage change but will make it stand out visually.

Summing up, Excel offers various approaches to calculate percent change, each suited to different scenarios. Whether you're using a simple formula or leveraging Excel's built-in functions and conditional formatting, these methods empower you to analyze data efficiently. They enable quick insights into trends, growth, and performance metrics, allowing you to make informed decisions based on quantifiable changes over time.