There is no SUBTRACT function, which is why this gets searched. Get the right formula for cell minus cell, column minus a fixed cell, or a running remainder.
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=B2-C2Click the cell where you want the answer, type that, and press Enter. There is no SUBTRACT function in Excel or Google Sheets: subtraction is the minus operator.
Subtraction is the minus operator, not a function: =B2-C2. There is no SUBTRACT in Excel or Google Sheets, which is exactly why this is searched so often. To subtract one total from another, subtract two SUMs.
No. Excel and Google Sheets both use the minus operator. SUM exists because adding many cells needs a range; subtraction is nearly always two values, so it never got a function. If you want it as a function, =SUM(B2,-C2) is the equivalent.
One of the cells contains text, including a space that looks empty. Wrap the cells in N() or clean the column. Note that SUM ignores text while the minus operator errors on it, which is why =SUM() over the same cells appears to work.
Multiply rather than subtract: to take 15 percent off, use =B2*(1-0.15) or =B2*0.85. Writing =B2-15% subtracts the number 0.15, not fifteen percent of the value, and it is a common and expensive mistake.
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