What is the ROUND Function in Excel?

Master the ROUND function to round numbers to specified decimal places with practical examples and error solutions for Excel and Google Sheets.

How to fix #N/A error in ROUND Function in Excel?

The #N/A error typically occurs when there's an issue with the formula parameters or references. Use AskFormulas to generate validated formulas that avoid these errors.

How to fix #REF! error in ROUND Function in Excel?

The #REF! error typically occurs when there's an issue with the formula parameters or references. Use AskFormulas to generate validated formulas that avoid these errors.

How to fix #VALUE! error in ROUND Function in Excel?

The #VALUE! error typically occurs when there's an issue with the formula parameters or references. Use AskFormulas to generate validated formulas that avoid these errors.

How to fix #DIV/0! error in ROUND Function in Excel?

The #DIV/0! error typically occurs when there's an issue with the formula parameters or references. Use AskFormulas to generate validated formulas that avoid these errors.

How to fix #NAME? error in ROUND Function in Excel?

The #NAME? error typically occurs when there's an issue with the formula parameters or references. Use AskFormulas to generate validated formulas that avoid these errors.

ROUND Function in Excel

Quick Answer

Comprehensive Explanation

Syntax and Parameters

## What is the ROUND Function?

The ROUND function is one of Excel and Google Sheets' most fundamental math functions, designed to round numbers to a specified number of decimal places using standard mathematical rounding rules. First introduced in early Excel versions, it has become essential for financial analysts, accountants, and data scientists who need to present clean, accurate numerical data.

### Core Functionality

At its core, ROUND operates using the standard rounding methodology:

1. **Input Processing:** The function takes the number and evaluates the digit at the position after your specified rounding point
2. **Calculation Logic:** If this digit is 5 or greater, it rounds up; if less than 5, it rounds down
3. **Result Generation:** Returns the rounded number with the exact precision specified

This three-step process ensures mathematical accuracy, maintains data consistency, and provides predictable results. The function can handle numbers up to 15 significant digits and processes calculations at microsecond speeds on standard systems.

### When to Use ROUND

ROUND is optimal for:

**Financial Reporting:** When currency values must show exactly two decimal places for professional presentation
**Statistical Analysis:** For presenting survey results or percentages with consistent decimal places for clarity
**Data Standardization:** In databases where all numeric values must conform to the same precision level

Avoid ROUND when exact precision is critical for intermediate calculations or when ROUNDUP or ROUNDDOWN would be more appropriate for your business rules.

### Platform Compatibility

- **Excel 365:** Full support including dynamic array compatibility
- **Excel 2019+:** Standard implementation with all features
- **Google Sheets:** Complete support with identical functionality (parameter names differ slightly)
- **Excel Online:** Full functionality with no limitations

Note: While the function works identically across platforms, Google Sheets uses 'value' and 'places' as parameter names instead of Excel's 'number' and 'num_digits'.

## Syntax and Parameters Explained

### Excel Syntax
`=ROUND(number, num_digits)`

### Google Sheets Syntax
`=ROUND(value, places)`

### Parameters in Detail

#### number/value (Required)
The numeric value that you want to round. This can be:
- A direct number: `3.14159`
- A cell reference: `A1`
- A calculation: `SUM(A1:A10)`
- A nested function: `AVERAGE(B:B)`

This parameter accepts any real number from -9.99E+307 to 9.99E+307. If a non-numeric value is provided, the function returns a #VALUE! error.

#### num_digits/places (Required)
Specifies the number of digits for rounding:
- **Positive values** (1, 2, 3...): Round to that many decimal places
  - `2` rounds to 2 decimal places (e.g., 3.14)
  - `4` rounds to 4 decimal places (e.g., 3.1416)
- **Zero** (0): Rounds to the nearest integer
  - `3.7` becomes `4`
  - `3.4` becomes `3`
- **Negative values** (-1, -2, -3...): Round to the left of the decimal point
  - `-1` rounds to nearest 10
  - `-2` rounds to nearest 100
  - `-3` rounds to nearest 1000

### Return Value
The ROUND function returns a numeric value rounded to the specified number of decimal places. The return type is always a number, maintaining the same sign as the input value.

Practical Examples

Common Errors and Solutions

#VALUE!

ROUND returns #VALUE! error

Cause:

One or both parameters contain non-numeric values or text that cannot be converted to numbers

Solution:

1. Check that the first parameter is a number or numeric cell reference 2. Verify the second parameter is a whole number 3. Use VALUE() function to convert text to numbers if needed 4. Check for hidden spaces or special characters

Prevention:

Always validate data types before using ROUND. Use ISNUMBER() to check values

Frequency: High

Example:

#NAME?

Excel doesn't recognize the ROUND function

Cause:

Misspelling of the function name or missing equals sign

Solution:

1. Ensure the formula starts with = sign 2. Check spelling: ROUND not ROOUND or ROUN 3. Verify Excel language settings if using non-English version

Prevention:

Use Excel's autocomplete feature when typing formulas

Frequency: Medium

#NUM!

Numeric error in ROUND function

Cause:

The result is too large or too small for Excel to display

Solution:

1. Check if the input number exceeds Excel's limits (±9.99E+307) 2. Reduce the number of decimal places if working with very large numbers 3. Break complex calculations into smaller steps

Prevention:

Be aware of Excel's numeric limits when working with extreme values

Frequency: Low

Unexpected Result

ROUND doesn't give expected value

Cause:

Misunderstanding of how rounding works with 0.5 values or negative num_digits

Solution:

1. Remember: 0.5 always rounds up (2.5 → 3, not 2) 2. For negative num_digits, understand the power of 10 rounding 3. Consider using ROUNDUP or ROUNDDOWN for specific directional rounding 4. Check if the display format is hiding the actual value

Prevention:

Test with known values to understand rounding behavior

Frequency: High

Example:

Best Practices and Advanced Tips

For currency calculations, always round to 2 decimal places at the final step only. Avoid rounding intermediate calculations to prevent compound rounding errors. Calculate everything at full precision, then apply =ROUND(final_result, 2) at the end.

Create a 'Precision Settings' cell that controls all rounding in your dashboard. Use absolute references like =ROUND(A2, $Settings.$B$1) so users can adjust precision globally by changing one cell.

Standard ROUND always rounds 0.5 up. For statistical fairness, some applications require 'banker's rounding' (round to nearest even). Excel doesn't have this built-in - consider using VBA or alternative formulas for this requirement.

When rounding thousands of values, ROUND is faster than TEXT formatting. However, if you only need display formatting without changing values, use cell formatting (Ctrl+1) instead of ROUND for best performance.

ROUND works excellently with aggregation functions. Common patterns: =ROUND(AVERAGE(range), 2) for clean averages, =ROUND(SUMPRODUCT(A:A, B:B), 0) for integer results, and =ROUND(PERCENTILE(range, 0.75), 1) for statistical reporting.

ROUND vs Similar Functions

## Comparison with Alternative Rounding Functions

### ROUND vs ROUNDUP vs ROUNDDOWN

| Feature | ROUND | ROUNDUP | ROUNDDOWN | Best For |
|---------|--------|---------|-----------|----------|
| Direction | Nearest (0.5 up) | Always up | Always down | ROUND: General use |
| Precision | Exact | Exact | Exact | All: Precise control |
| Use Case | Standard rounding | Conservative estimates | Floor values | Depends on business rules |
| Example: 2.4 → | 2 | 3 | 2 | - |
| Example: 2.5 → | 3 | 3 | 2 | - |
| Example: 2.6 → | 3 | 3 | 2 | - |

### ROUND vs MROUND
MROUND rounds to the nearest multiple of a specified value (e.g., nearest 0.25 or nearest 5), while ROUND rounds to decimal places. Use MROUND for price points like $x.99 or time slots like 15-minute intervals.

### ROUND vs TRUNC/INT
TRUNC and INT remove decimals without rounding - they simply cut off the decimal portion. ROUND provides mathematical rounding. For negative numbers, INT rounds down to the more negative integer, while TRUNC removes decimals.

### When to Use Each Function

- **ROUND:** General purpose rounding, financial reports, statistical presentations
- **ROUNDUP:** Safety margins, minimum requirements, conservative planning
- **ROUNDDOWN:** Maximum limits, inventory counts, available resources
- **MROUND:** Price points, time intervals, batch quantities
- **TRUNC/INT:** When you need the integer portion without rounding