How to Use the MINA Function in Google Sheets

Published on

MINA is a statistical function in Google Sheets used to find the minimum value in a range. It differs from the MIN function. After discussing the syntax and providing a few examples, we will explore a real-life application of the MINA function in Google Sheets.

Syntax:

MINA(value1, [value2, …])

Arguments:

  • value1, value2, …: These are the values or ranges to consider.

Example:

=MINA(1, 5, 4, 0)

In this example, we have used four values, and the formula will return 0 as the lowest value among them.

If these values are in A1, A2, A3, and A4, you can use:

=MINA(A1, A2, A3, A4)

or

=MINA(A1:A4)

In the latter case, we have specified the argument as a range.

How the MINA Function Differs from the MIN Function

Both the MIN and MINA functions return the smallest values from a set of values. While the former considers only numerical values in the dataset, the latter considers all values.

If the set of values contains the boolean values TRUE or FALSE, the MINA function treats them as 1 and 0, respectively. It considers text values as 0.

Therefore, the output may differ when you apply both the MIN and MINA functions in a mixed data type column.

In the following example, the range B3:B12 contains numbers in all cells except B5, which contains the boolean value TRUE.

Thus, the following MINA formula in cell D3 returns 1 as the minimum value:

=MINA(B3:B13)
Example of Using the MINA Function in Google Sheets

Practical Example of the MINA Function in Google Sheets

We have sales targets and actual sales in a range. Let’s test whether we meet the sales targets.

The sales targets are in B2:B5, and the actual sales are in C2:C5. The following formula will evaluate and return the status.

=IF(
   MINA(ArrayFormula(C2:C5 >= B2:B5)) = 1, 
   "Target Achieved", 
   "Target Not Achieved"
)
Handling Boolean Values and Text in the MINA Function

Formula Breakdown

The following logical part returns an array of TRUE or FALSE, where TRUE indicates that the target is met and FALSE indicates that it is not met:

=ArrayFormula(C2:C5 >= B2:B5)
true or false array result for MINA test

We apply the MINA function to this array with:

=MINA(ArrayFormula(C2:C5 >= B2:B5))

If the output of MINA is 1, it means that all targets are met; otherwise, they are not met.

We use the IF logical test to return “Target Achieved” if the output of MINA is 1 and “Target Not Achieved” if it is 0.

Resources

Prashanth KV
Prashanth KV
Your Trusted Google Sheets and Excel Guide Prashanth KV brings a wealth of experience in Google Sheets and Excel, cultivated through years of work with multinational corporations in Mumbai and Dubai. As a recognized Google Product Expert in Docs Editors, Prashanth shares his expertise through insightful blogging since 2012. Explore his blog for practical tips and guidance on maximizing your spreadsheet skills.

Hierarchical Numbering Sequences in Excel

Creating hierarchical numbering sequences in an Excel spreadsheet can significantly improve the way you...

How to Easily Repeat a Sequence of Numbers in Excel

Excel offers multiple ways to accomplish tasks, and the simplicity of each approach depends...

Create a Sequence of Dates at Every Nth Row in Excel (Dynamic Array)

Would you like to create a sequence of dates in every nth row in...

XMATCH Row by Row: Finding Values Across a Range in Google Sheets

Using the BYROW function with XMATCH in Google Sheets allows us to match values...

More like this

XMATCH Row by Row: Finding Values Across a Range in Google Sheets

Using the BYROW function with XMATCH in Google Sheets allows us to match values...

Limit Formula Expansion to a Specific Row in Google Sheets

In this tutorial, I’ll explain how to limit the expansion of an array formula...

3-D Referencing Structured Data Tables in Google Sheets

When you have several tables within a single sheet—not across multiple sheets in a...

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.