ExcelMathBeginner

CEILING.PRECISE

Rounds a number up to the nearest integer or to the nearest multiple of significance. The number is rounded up regardless of its sign.

Read the syntaxReview worked examplesOpen the spreadsheet app
=CEILING.PRECISE(number, [significance])
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What the function does

Overview

Rounds a number up to the nearest integer or to the nearest multiple of significance. The number is rounded up regardless of its sign.

CEILING.PRECISE is a rounding function that rounds a number up to the nearest multiple of `significance`, similar to CEILING.MATH but with a simpler behavior for negative numbers. Unlike the traditional CEILING function, CEILING.PRECISE rounds positive numbers up and negative numbers up (towards zero) if `significance` is positive. If `significance` is negative, it rounds away from zero. If `significance` is omitted, it defaults to 1. This function is useful when you need consistent rounding behavior where numbers are always rounded 'up' in magnitude. For example, CEILING.PRECISE(2.3, 0.5) returns 2.5, and CEILING.PRECISE(-2.3, 0.5) returns -2.0. This makes it a good choice for scenarios where you want to ensure a minimum value is reached, irrespective of the number's initial sign, but with a more predictable rounding direction for negative numbers than CEILING.

Quick reference

Syntax

=CEILING.PRECISE(number, [significance])

Inputs

Arguments

numberThe number you want to round.
Example: A2
significance (optional)The multiple to which you want to round. Defaults to 1 if omitted. The sign of significance is ignored.
Example: 0.1

Formula patterns

Examples

1

Round Up Positive Number

=CEILING.PRECISE(4.3, 1)
roundingpositive numbers
2

Round Up Negative Number (towards zero)

=CEILING.PRECISE(-4.3, 1)
roundingnegative numbers

Avoid these issues

Common Errors

1

#VALUE!

Cause: One or both arguments are non-numeric.

Fix: Ensure 'number' and 'significance' (if used) are valid numeric values or references to cells containing numbers.

2

Unexpected Result

Cause: Misunderstanding of how negative numbers are rounded compared to CEILING.MATH's 'mode' argument.

Fix: CEILING.PRECISE always rounds negative numbers towards zero if significance is positive. If you need more control over negative number rounding direction, use CEILING.MATH.

Platform support

Compatibility

Excel 2010+Google Sheets

Introduced in Excel 2010. Offers a simpler, more consistent rounding behavior for negative numbers than CEILING.

Source: Microsoft Support

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Rounds a number up to the nearest integer or to the nearest multiple of significance. The number is rounded up regardless of its sign.

number: The number you want to round. significance: The multiple to which you want to round. Defaults to 1 if omitted. The sign of significance is ignored.

#VALUE!: Ensure 'number' and 'significance' (if used) are valid numeric values or references to cells containing numbers. Unexpected Result: CEILING.PRECISE always rounds negative numbers towards zero if significance is positive. If you need more control over negative number rounding direction, use CEILING.MATH.