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The Excel PRODUCT Function

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Basic Description

The Excel PRODUCT function returns the product (multiplication) of a supplied set of numerical values.

The syntax of the function is :

PRODUCT( number1, [number2], ... )

where the number arguments are a set of numbers (or arrays of numbers) that you want to find the product of. These can be supplied to the function either directly, as values returned from other functions, or as references to cells containing numeric values.

In Excel 2007 or 2010, you can enter up to 255 number arguments to the Excel Product function, but in Excel 2003, the function can only accept up to 30 arguments.


Which Values are Included in the Excel Product Function Calculation?

Numbers and dates are always counted as numeric values by the Excel Product function. However, text representations and logical values are handled differently, depending on whether they are values stored in the cells of your spreadsheet, or they are supplied directly to the function.

The table below shows which values are included in the Excel Product Function calculation, and which values are ignored or produce errors:

Value Within a
Range of Cells
Value Supplied
Directly to Function
Numbers Included Included
Dates Included Included
Logical Values Ignored Included
(True=1; False=0)
Text Representations of
Numbers & Dates
Ignored Included
Other Text Ignored #VALUE! Error
Errors Error Error


Excel Product Function Examples

The following spreadsheet shows four different ways to input five numbers into the Excel Product function. The example illustrates how the number arguments can be input as either:

- individual numbers
- number arrays
- individual cells
- cell ranges

... or a combination of all of these.

 Formulas:
  A B
1 3 =PRODUCT( 3, 6, 2, 8, 5 )
2 6 =PRODUCT( A1:A5 )
3 2 =PRODUCT( 3, 6, 2, A4, A5 )
4 8 =PRODUCT( {3,6}, A3:A5 )
5 5  
 Results:
  A B
1 3 1440
2 6 1440
3 2 1440
4 8 1440
5 5  

Further examples of the Excel Product function can be found on the Microsoft Office website.


Product Function Errors

If you get an error from the Excel Product Function, this is most likely to be the #VALUE! error:

Common Error
#VALUE! - Occurs if any of the supplied arguments can not be interpreted as numeric values




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