Math & Statisticsintermediate
Average values by multiple criteria with AVERAGEIFS
=AVERAGEIFS(D2:D100,B2:B100,"East",C2:C100,"Q1")
Excel how-to guide
How to stdev standard deviation in Excel
Assess the consistency of sales figures, test scores, manufacturing tolerances, or any dataset where variability matters.
Step-by-step instructions
How to stdev standard deviation — 3 steps
1
Select the range of numeric values you want to measure.
2
STDEV returns the sample standard deviation — use STDEVP for the population standard deviation when your data includes every member of the group.
3
Compare the result to the mean (AVERAGE) to understand relative variability.
Example data
Worked example
| Daily Sales |
|---|
| 980 |
| 1050 |
| 1200 |
| 890 |
| 1100 |
| 1020 |
Common mistakes
Errors to watch out for
STDEV vs STDEVP
Use STDEV (sample) when your data is a subset of a larger population. Use STDEVP (population) when your data includes every member of the group. Most business use cases call for STDEV.
Text or blank cells skew the result
STDEV ignores text and blank cells automatically. Numbers stored as text are also ignored — clean them with VALUE first.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What does the standard deviation number actually mean?
It represents the typical distance from the average. If the mean is 100 and STDEV is 10, most values fall between 90 and 110. A higher STDEV means more variability.
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Array Formulasintermediate
Calculate a weighted average with SUMPRODUCT
=SUMPRODUCT(B2:B10,C2:C10)/SUM(C2:C10)