OR Function

Syntax

=OR(logical1, [logical2], ...)

Description

The OR function checks whether at least one of the given logical conditions is TRUE. If any condition evaluates to TRUE, the function returns TRUE; otherwise, it returns FALSE. It is useful for testing multiple conditions in Excel formulas.

Arguments

• logical1: The first condition to evaluate. This argument is required.
• [logical2], … (optional): Additional conditions to test, up to 255 conditions.

Return Value

Returns TRUE if at least one of the logical conditions evaluates to TRUE; otherwise, returns FALSE.

How to Use the OR Function

Basic Example: To check if A1 or B1 is greater than 10:

=OR(A1>10, B1>10)

Returns TRUE if at least one of the values is greater than 10.

Using with IF Function: Combine OR with IF to return custom results:

=IF(OR(A1>50, B1<100), "Valid", "Invalid")

This returns “Valid” if A1 is greater than 50 or B1 is less than 100.

Checking Multiple Conditions: Use OR with other logical functions like AND:

=OR(A1>0, AND(B1=5, C1=10))

This returns TRUE if A1 is greater than 0 or if both B1 equals 5 and C1 equals 10.

OR Function Tips and Tricks

• Use OR for Conditional Formatting: Highlight cells based on multiple criteria by combining OR within conditional formatting rules.
• Combine with AND: If you need all conditions to be TRUE, use AND instead of OR.
• Avoid Excessive Conditions: While Excel supports up to 255 conditions, excessive nesting can make formulas difficult to manage.

Additional Resources

• Microsoft Documentation: Microsoft’s Official OR Documentation