I am trying to create an IF formula that returs POSITIVE, NEGATIVE, or STABLE
depending on the trend found in a data series. Does anybody know how can I
evaluate a data series for a positive/negative/stable trend? For instance, I
have the following data set:

MONTH January,February,March,April
SALES 100,200,300,100

If I use a chart to analyze this data, I can visually identify it is a
positive trend. Can I get that simple answer using a formula, rather than a
chart?

Thank you!

Yes, you can use a formula to evaluate whether a trend is positive, negative, or stable. Here's how:

1. Calculate the slope of the data series using the
   Code:

   SLOPE

   function. The slope represents the rate of change of the data series over time. For example, if your data is in cells B2:B5 and the corresponding months are in cells A2:A5, you can use the formula
   Code:

   =SLOPE(B2:B5,A2:A5)

   to calculate the slope.
2. Use an
   Code:

   IF

   statement to determine whether the slope is positive, negative, or zero (i.e. stable). For example, you can use the formula
   Code:

   =IF(SLOPE(B2:B5,A2:A5)0,"POSITIVE",IF(SLOPE(B2:B5,A2:A5)<0,"NEGATIVE","STABLE"))

   to return "POSITIVE" if the slope is positive, "NEGATIVE" if the slope is negative, and "STABLE" if the slope is zero.
3. Apply the formula to your data set by replacing the cell references in the formula with the corresponding cells in your worksheet.

By using this formula, you can quickly evaluate whether a trend is positive, negative, or stable without having to create a chart.

=SLOPE(B2:E2,B1:E1) would work out the trend,
if your SALES numbers are in B2:E2 and your dates are in B1:E1 (and if they
really are dates, rather than text).

You would obviously have to decide how close to zero you would accept as
STABLE, then you could use an IF() formula to separate the values and give
your POSITIVE, NEGATIVE, or STABLE outputs.
--
David Biddulph

"leotoni" wrote in message
...
I am trying to create an IF formula that returs POSITIVE, NEGATIVE, or
STABLE
depending on the trend found in a data series. Does anybody know how can I
evaluate a data series for a positive/negative/stable trend? For instance,
I
have the following data set:

MONTH January,February,March,April
SALES 100,200,300,100

If I use a chart to analyze this data, I can visually identify it is a
positive trend. Can I get that simple answer using a formula, rather than
a
chart?

Thank you!

Leotoni,
assign 1,2,3,..... to the months and have an array with the sales figures.
There's SLOPE function which gives the x-angle of the data series. Depending
on value you construct an IF statement so that user gets the STABLE... etc
info you want.
HTH
--
Dan GSB
Asset Management - Rio


"leotoni" wrote:

I am trying to create an IF formula that returs POSITIVE, NEGATIVE, or STABLE
depending on the trend found in a data series. Does anybody know how can I
evaluate a data series for a positive/negative/stable trend? For instance, I
have the following data set:

MONTH January,February,March,April
SALES 100,200,300,100

If I use a chart to analyze this data, I can visually identify it is a
positive trend. Can I get that simple answer using a formula, rather than a
chart?

Thank you!

In A1 thru B4:

1 100
2 200
3 300
4 100

in another cell:

=SLOPE(B1:B4,A1:A4)

POSITIVE is positive
NEGATIVE is negative
STABLE is "very close" to zero
--
Gary''s Student - gsnu200743


"leotoni" wrote:

I am trying to create an IF formula that returs POSITIVE, NEGATIVE, or STABLE
depending on the trend found in a data series. Does anybody know how can I
evaluate a data series for a positive/negative/stable trend? For instance, I
have the following data set:

MONTH January,February,March,April
SALES 100,200,300,100

If I use a chart to analyze this data, I can visually identify it is a
positive trend. Can I get that simple answer using a formula, rather than a
chart?

Thank you!

SLOPE did the trick! Thank you very much for your help, DanGSB!

"DanGSB" wrote:

Leotoni,
assign 1,2,3,..... to the months and have an array with the sales figures.
There's SLOPE function which gives the x-angle of the data series. Depending
on value you construct an IF statement so that user gets the STABLE... etc
info you want.
HTH
--
Dan GSB
Asset Management - Rio


"leotoni" wrote:

I am trying to create an IF formula that returs POSITIVE, NEGATIVE, or STABLE
depending on the trend found in a data series. Does anybody know how can I
evaluate a data series for a positive/negative/stable trend? For instance, I
have the following data set:

MONTH January,February,March,April
SALES 100,200,300,100

If I use a chart to analyze this data, I can visually identify it is a
positive trend. Can I get that simple answer using a formula, rather than a
chart?

Thank you!

SLOPE did the trick! Thank you very much for your help, David!

"David Biddulph" wrote:

=SLOPE(B2:E2,B1:E1) would work out the trend,
if your SALES numbers are in B2:E2 and your dates are in B1:E1 (and if they
really are dates, rather than text).

You would obviously have to decide how close to zero you would accept as
STABLE, then you could use an IF() formula to separate the values and give
your POSITIVE, NEGATIVE, or STABLE outputs.
--
David Biddulph

"leotoni" wrote in message
...
I am trying to create an IF formula that returs POSITIVE, NEGATIVE, or
STABLE
depending on the trend found in a data series. Does anybody know how can I
evaluate a data series for a positive/negative/stable trend? For instance,
I
have the following data set:

MONTH January,February,March,April
SALES 100,200,300,100

If I use a chart to analyze this data, I can visually identify it is a
positive trend. Can I get that simple answer using a formula, rather than
a
chart?

Thank you!

That did the trick! Thank you very much for the help!

"Gary''s Student" wrote:

In A1 thru B4:

1 100
2 200
3 300
4 100

in another cell:

=SLOPE(B1:B4,A1:A4)

POSITIVE is positive
NEGATIVE is negative
STABLE is "very close" to zero
--
Gary''s Student - gsnu200743


"leotoni" wrote:

I am trying to create an IF formula that returs POSITIVE, NEGATIVE, or STABLE
depending on the trend found in a data series. Does anybody know how can I
evaluate a data series for a positive/negative/stable trend? For instance, I
have the following data set:

MONTH January,February,March,April
SALES 100,200,300,100

If I use a chart to analyze this data, I can visually identify it is a
positive trend. Can I get that simple answer using a formula, rather than a
chart?

Thank you!