ROUNDUP function

Rounds a number up to a specified number of decimal places, always rounding away from zero, useful for conservative financial estimates.

=ROUNDUP(number, num_digits)

Generate a ROUNDUP formula

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

How to get a better answer
  • Name your columns by letter and by header: "column F (Net Value)" beats "the amount column".
  • State every condition, including the negatives — "not cancelled" changes the formula's shape.
  • Say where the data starts if it is not row 1, and whether it will grow.
  • Check the settings above match your spreadsheet: the wrong argument separator is a syntax error on your machine.

Arguments

How ROUNDUP reads its arguments
numberrequirednum_digitsrequiredROUNDUP →
ArgumentRequiredDescription
numberRequiredThe numeric value to round up. Can be a positive or negative number, a cell reference, or any expression that evaluates to a number.
num_digitsRequiredThe number of decimal places to round to. Use 0 to round to the nearest integer, positive numbers for decimal precision, or negative numbers to round to tens (−1), hundreds (−2), or higher place values.

Returns

A number rounded up to the specified decimal place or digit position.

Availability

Excel: All · Google Sheets: Supported

Worked examples

1. Calculate cost per click rounded to nearest cent

CampaignChannelSpendClicksConversions
Spring SaleEmail1250.4552347.8
=ROUNDUP(1250.45/523, 2)

Result: 2.4

The Spring Sale email campaign spent $1,250.45 on 523 clicks, resulting in a cost per click of approximately $2.3915. ROUNDUP rounds this up to $2.40 per click with 2 decimal places, ensuring budget estimates are never underestimated.

2. Round up total budget to nearest $100

CampaignChannelSpend
Spring SaleEmail1250.45
Spring SaleSocial2100.67
Summer PromoEmail980.33
Summer PromoDisplay1550.89
Fall ClearanceEmail1100.25
Fall ClearanceSocial3200.56
=ROUNDUP(SUM(1250.45, 2100.67, 980.33, 1550.89, 1100.25, 3200.56), -2)

Result: 10200

The total spend across all six campaigns is $10,182.15. Using ROUNDUP with num_digits = −2 rounds up to the nearest 100, yielding $10,200. This approach is critical for budget forecasting, ensuring adequate funding without overspending.

3. Round conversion rate up to nearest whole percent

CampaignChannelClicksConversions
Spring SaleEmail52347.8
=ROUNDUP((47.8/523)*100, 0)

Result: 10

Spring Sale email generated 47.8 conversions from 523 clicks, a true rate of 9.14%. Rounding up to the nearest whole percent (num_digits = 0) gives 10%, which provides a conservative figure for performance reports and quarter-over-quarter comparisons.

Common errors

Which ROUNDUP error are you seeing?
ROUNDUP returned an error#VALUE!
Ensure both parameters contain numbers. Use VALUE() to convert text-formatted numbers, or verify that referenced cells hold numeric data, not text or formulas returning errors.
#REF!
Verify all cell references exist and point to the correct location. Use absolute references ($A$1) when creating formulas to copy, preventing accidental reference breaks.
#NAME?
Double-check spelling: the correct function is ROUNDUP with exactly those six letters. Ensure you have no typos, and that the function exists in your version of Excel or Google Sheets.
ErrorWhy it happensHow to fix it
#VALUE!Passing text, logical values (TRUE/FALSE), or other non-numeric data to either the number or num_digits parameter.Ensure both parameters contain numbers. Use VALUE() to convert text-formatted numbers, or verify that referenced cells hold numeric data, not text or formulas returning errors.
#REF!Your formula references a cell that has been deleted, moved to another sheet without updating the reference, or is otherwise inaccessible.Verify all cell references exist and point to the correct location. Use absolute references ($A$1) when creating formulas to copy, preventing accidental reference breaks.
#NAME?The function name is misspelled (e.g., ROUNDUPF, RNDUP, ROUND_UP) or references an undefined named range.Double-check spelling: the correct function is ROUNDUP with exactly those six letters. Ensure you have no typos, and that the function exists in your version of Excel or Google Sheets.

Tips and when to use something else

  • Use ROUNDUP for conservative financial estimates, bidding models, inventory forecasting, and cost calculations where underestimating is riskier than overestimating.
  • Combine ROUNDUP with SUMIF to round conditional sums: =ROUNDUP(SUMIF(channels, "Email", spend_range), 2) rounds the total email spend up to 2 decimal places.
  • For negative numbers, ROUNDUP rounds toward zero: ROUNDUP(−2.3, 0) = −2, and ROUNDUP(−2.8, 0) = −2. Negative num_digits rounds left of the decimal: ROUNDUP(2456, −2) = 2500.
  • Reach for ROUND for standard rounding (round to nearest), ROUNDDOWN to always round toward zero, or CEILING.MATH for symmetric rounding up behavior.

Related functions

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.MROUNDMROUND rounds a number to the nearest multiple of a specified value, useful for rounding to standard increments like 5, 10, or 100.INTINT rounds any number down to the nearest whole integer, always discarding decimal places and rounding toward negative infinity.

Frequently asked questions

When should I use ROUNDUP vs ROUND?
ROUNDUP always rounds away from zero regardless of the decimal value, while ROUND uses banker's rounding (nearest value, ties to even). Choose ROUNDUP when you need a conservative estimate that never underestimates, and ROUND for statistical or accounting rounding.
How does ROUNDUP handle negative numbers?
ROUNDUP rounds toward zero. ROUNDUP(−2.3, 0) returns −2, and ROUNDUP(−2.8, 0) also returns −2. The function rounds the absolute value up, then reapplies the original sign.
Can I use negative values for num_digits in ROUNDUP?
Yes. Negative num_digits rounds to the left of the decimal point. ROUNDUP(2456, −2) rounds to the nearest hundred, returning 2500. ROUNDUP(2456, −3) rounds to the nearest thousand, returning 3000.
Why does my ROUNDUP formula show a #VALUE! error?
This occurs when either the number or num_digits parameter contains text, a logical value, or a formula returning an error. Verify both parameters are actual numbers or cell references containing numbers, not text strings or error-producing formulas.

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Reviewed 2026-09-17