Master the ROUNDUP function and always round numbers upward in Excel
The ROUNDUP function in Excel always rounds a number UP (away from zero), regardless of the digit value. Unlike the standard ROUND function which follows mathematical rounding rules, ROUNDUP will always increase the specified decimal place by 1.
number: The value you want to round up
num_digits: The number of decimal places to round to
=ROUNDUP(3.14, 0) → 4 (rounds to whole number)
=ROUNDUP(3.14, 1) → 3.2 (rounds to 1 decimal)
=ROUNDUP(12.345, 2) → 12.35 (rounds to 2 decimals)
=ROUNDUP(1234, -2) → 1300 (rounds to hundreds)
Select the cell where you want the rounded result to appear.
Start with an equals sign, then type ROUNDUP followed by parentheses.
=ROUNDUP(
Type the number or cell reference you want to round up, followed by a comma.
=ROUNDUP(A2,
Enter the number of decimal places, then close the parentheses and press Enter.
=ROUNDUP(A2, 2)
The num_digits parameter controls where rounding occurs:
| num_digits Value | Rounds To | Example: 12.345 | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Hundredths (2 decimals) | =ROUNDUP(12.345, 2) | 12.35 |
| 1 | Tenths (1 decimal) | =ROUNDUP(12.345, 1) | 12.4 |
| 0 | Whole number | =ROUNDUP(12.345, 0) | 13 |
| -1 | Nearest 10 | =ROUNDUP(12.345, -1) | 20 |
| -2 | Nearest 100 | =ROUNDUP(12.345, -2) | 100 |
| -3 | Nearest 1000 | =ROUNDUP(1234.5, -3) | 2000 |
💡 Tip: Negative values for num_digits round to the left of the decimal point (tens, hundreds, thousands, etc.)
Excel offers three rounding functions with different behaviors:
| Original Number | ROUNDUP(n, 0) | ROUND(n, 0) | ROUNDDOWN(n, 0) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| 3.5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| 3.9 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| 7.2 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
| 7.8 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
Always rounds AWAY from zero (increases)
Standard rounding (5+ goes up, <5 goes down)
Always rounds TOWARD zero (decreases)
Round prices up to avoid losses from fractional cents.
Price per unit: $12.4567
=ROUNDUP(12.4567, 2) → $12.46
Calculate how many boxes needed (can't order partial boxes).
Items needed: 47.3 boxes
=ROUNDUP(47.3, 0) → 48 boxes
Round time up to the nearest 15-minute increment for billing.
Work time: 2.3 hours = 2 hours 18 minutes
=ROUNDUP(2.3*4, 0)/4 → 2.5 hours (2h 30m)
Order enough materials to complete the job (no partial units).
Lumber needed: 23.2 boards
=ROUNDUP(23.2, 0) → 24 boards
Round up to the nearest 5, 10, 25, etc. using CEILING function:
=CEILING(A2, 5) → Rounds up to nearest 5
=CEILING(A2, 10) → Rounds up to nearest 10
Use EVEN or ODD functions to round to the next even or odd integer:
=EVEN(7.2) → 8 (next even number)
=ODD(7.8) → 9 (next odd number)
Use ROUNDUP with SUM, AVERAGE, or other calculations:
=ROUNDUP(SUM(A1:A10), 2)
=ROUNDUP(AVERAGE(B1:B5), 0)
Round up percentages to ensure you meet minimum requirements:
=ROUNDUP((A2/B2)*100, 1) → Percentage with 1 decimal, rounded up
Wrong: Using ROUND when you need ROUNDUP
ROUND(3.1, 0) = 3 (rounds down because 0.1 < 0.5)
Right: ROUNDUP(3.1, 0) = 4 (always rounds up)
Wrong: Trying to round to tens/hundreds without negative values
ROUNDUP(1234, 2) = 1234 (no change, already a whole number)
Right: ROUNDUP(1234, -2) = 1300 (rounds to hundreds)
Wrong: Copying formula and losing the decimal places parameter
=ROUNDUP(A2, B2) (if B2 changes, your rounding changes!)
Right: =ROUNDUP(A2, $B$2) or =ROUNDUP(A2, 2)
Important: Number formatting is different from actual rounding
Formatting a cell to show 2 decimals doesn't change the underlying value. Use ROUNDUP to actually change the value.
=ROUNDUP(number, num_digits)
UP (away from zero)
=ROUNDUP(value, 0)
=ROUNDUP(value, 2)
=ROUNDUP(value, -1)
=ROUNDUP(value, -2)