What's the difference between INT and TRUNC?

INT always rounds down toward negative infinity (INT(-3.2) = -4), while TRUNC removes decimals toward zero (TRUNC(-3.2) = -3). For positive numbers, both behave the same. Use INT when you want consistent downward rounding; use TRUNC when you want to simply strip decimals without direction bias.

Why does INT(-3.7) return -4 and not -3?

INT rounds toward negative infinity, not toward zero. Since -4 is further down the number line than -3, it is the 'lower' value, making it the correct result for INT's rounding rule. This behavior is intentional and consistent: INT always produces the largest integer that is less than or equal to the input.

Can I use INT inside other formulas like SUMPRODUCT or array formulas?

Yes. INT works inside SUMPRODUCT, conditional IF statements, and array formulas: =SUMPRODUCT(INT(A1:A10)*B1:B10) will round down each value in A1:A10 before multiplying by B1:B10. This is common when you need to round down fractional quantities before using them in calculations.

When should I use INT instead of just accepting decimal values?

Use INT when inventory, billing, or reporting rules require whole units only. Decimal quantities are common in manufacturing (45.7 kg), but warehousing and shipping often demand whole units. INT also improves readability in reports and prevents fractional billing. For calculations that stay within your system, decimals are fine—use INT only when output must be whole.

INT function

INT rounds any number down to the nearest whole integer, always discarding decimal places and rounding toward negative infinity.

=INT(number)

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Describe what you need. The generator will reach for INT where INT is the right tool, and tell you when it is not.

Arguments

How INT reads its arguments

Argument	Required	Description
number	Required	Required. Any numeric value or cell reference; INT discards all decimal places, always rounding down (toward negative infinity for negative numbers).

Returns

Returns an integer (whole number) with the same sign as the input.

Availability

Excel: All · Google Sheets: Supported

Worked examples

1. Convert fractional inventory to whole units

SKU	Warehouse	On Hand	Reorder Point	Cost
SKU001	North	45.7	20	12.5
SKU002	North	102.8	50	8.75

=INT(C2)

Result: 45

SKU001 has 45.7 physical units in the North warehouse. INT removes the decimal to show 45 complete, sellable units that can be shipped without breaking partial stock. This is essential for inventory counts where fractional units cannot be sold.

2. Calculate how many complete reorder cycles fit in stock

SKU	Warehouse	On Hand	Reorder Point	Cost
SKU002	North	102.8	50	8.75

=INT(C3/D3)

Result: 2

SKU002 has 102.8 units on hand with a reorder point of 50 units. Dividing 102.8 by 50 gives 2.056, and INT rounds down to 2. This tells the warehouse that current stock covers exactly 2 complete reorder cycles before hitting the restocking threshold.

3. Round down total inventory value to whole dollars

SKU	Warehouse	On Hand	Reorder Point	Cost
SKU002	North	102.8	50	8.75

=INT(C3*E3)

Result: 899

SKU002 inventory value is 102.8 units × $8.75 per unit = $899.50. INT removes the cents portion to report $899 for accounting purposes. Many financial systems require whole-dollar figures for reporting, and INT automatically rounds down consistently without manual rounding.

Common errors

Which INT error are you seeing?

Error	Why it happens	How to fix it
#VALUE!	The cell passed to INT contains text that cannot be interpreted as a number, such as a SKU code like 'SKU001' or a text description like 'In stock'. INT cannot perform numeric operations on non-numeric text.	Verify the cell reference points to a column containing only numbers. If the cell mixes text and numbers like '50 units', extract only the numeric portion using helper functions, or reference the correct numeric column instead.
#REF!	The cell reference in the INT formula points to a column or row that no longer exists because it was deleted. For example, if =INT(B3) references column B and column B is deleted, the formula breaks.	Undo the deletion using Ctrl+Z if the deletion was recent. If not, update the formula to reference the correct cell location. Rebuild column deletions carefully to avoid breaking active formulas, or use named ranges to make formulas more robust.
#N/A	The cell passed to INT contains an error from a lookup function that failed to find a match, such as VLOOKUP or XLOOKUP returning #N/A. INT cannot process an error value and propagates it instead of returning a number.	Wrap the INT formula with IFERROR to handle lookup failures: =IFERROR(INT(VLOOKUP(...)), 0). Alternatively, verify your lookup parameters—table range, column index, and match criteria—so the lookup succeeds before INT tries to process the result.

Tips and when to use something else

INT always rounds DOWN toward negative infinity: INT(-3.7) returns -4, not -3. Use TRUNC if you need to round toward zero instead (TRUNC(-3.7) = -3), or ROUND for flexible rounding direction.
INT is ideal for converting fractional inventory to whole units, determining how many complete reorder cycles fit in stock, or rounding down financial calculations where policy requires rounding down rather than to the nearest value.
Combine INT with division to find complete batches: =INT(On Hand / Reorder Point) shows how many full reorder cycles fit in current stock—a common warehouse calculation.
If you need to round up, round to nearest, or round to a specific decimal place, use ROUND, ROUNDUP, CEILING.MATH, or FLOOR.MATH instead. Forcing INT to behave differently than its design defeats its purpose.

Related functions

TRUNCTRUNC removes decimal places from a number without rounding, returning a truncated integer—use it when you need precise decimal removal without rounding.ROUNDROUND returns a number rounded to a specified number of decimal places, using standard rounding rules (0.5 rounds up).ROUNDDOWNROUNDDOWN returns a number rounded down toward zero to the specified number of decimal places, useful for inventory and billing calculations.CEILING.MATHCEILING.MATH rounds numbers up to the nearest multiple of a given significance value, useful for conservative cost estimates and price rounding.IFERRORIFERROR returns the result of a formula unless that formula generates an error, in which case it returns a user-specified alternative value.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between INT and TRUNC?: INT always rounds down toward negative infinity (INT(-3.2) = -4), while TRUNC removes decimals toward zero (TRUNC(-3.2) = -3). For positive numbers, both behave the same. Use INT when you want consistent downward rounding; use TRUNC when you want to simply strip decimals without direction bias.
Why does INT(-3.7) return -4 and not -3?: INT rounds toward negative infinity, not toward zero. Since -4 is further down the number line than -3, it is the 'lower' value, making it the correct result for INT's rounding rule. This behavior is intentional and consistent: INT always produces the largest integer that is less than or equal to the input.
Can I use INT inside other formulas like SUMPRODUCT or array formulas?: Yes. INT works inside SUMPRODUCT, conditional IF statements, and array formulas: =SUMPRODUCT(INT(A1:A10)*B1:B10) will round down each value in A1:A10 before multiplying by B1:B10. This is common when you need to round down fractional quantities before using them in calculations.
When should I use INT instead of just accepting decimal values?: Use INT when inventory, billing, or reporting rules require whole units only. Decimal quantities are common in manufacturing (45.7 kg), but warehousing and shipping often demand whole units. INT also improves readability in reports and prevents fractional billing. For calculations that stay within your system, decimals are fine—use INT only when output must be whole.

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Reviewed 2026-09-17