How to Calculate the Percentage Increase from Zero in Excel

Basics of Percentage Increase

The formula to calculate percentage change is:

Change(%)=(Final Value-Initial Value)/Initial Value*100

Calculating the percentage increase from zero, means the initial value is zero.
Mathematically when we divide any number by zero, the result is undefined.

The percentage change is assumed as 100%. to calculate percentage increase from zero, here.

Method 1 – How to Calculate the Percentage Increase from Zero using IF Function in Excel

Use the IF function.

Select D5. Enter the formula.

=IF(C4=0,1,C5/C4-1)

The logical test sets the initial value (C4) to zero. If the statement is TRUE, the output will be 1, which is 100%. Otherwise, Excel will return the percentage increase following the percentage change formula.

Press ENTER. The change in Revenue is displayed.

Since, C4 <> 0, Excel returns -1 by calculating $(0.00/1348.00)-1.

Convert the number into a percentage
Go to the Home tab and select Number.
Select the Percentage (%) sign.

Excel will convert the number into a percentage.

Drag down the Fill Handle to AutoFill the formula.

Note:
There’s no change in the percentage for January, because there’s no previous data to compare with.

Method 2 – How to Calculate the Percentage Increase from Zero using the SIGN Function in Excel

Use the SIGN function.

Select D5. Enter the formula.

=IF(C4=0,SIGN(C5),C5/C4-1)

The logical test is C4=0. If the statement is TRUE, Excel will return the result of SIGN(C5). If the statement is FALSE, Excel will return the output by calculating C5/C4-1 to get the percentage increase.

Formula Breakdown

SIGN(C5) ⟶ returns the result to represent the sign of the number in C5.
Output ⟶ 0
C5/C4-1 ⟶ calculates the increase in Revenue.
Output ⟶ -1
IF(C4=0,SIGN(C5),C5/C4-1) ➡ returns the result by analyzing the logical test.
IF(C4=0,0,-1)
IF(FALSE,0,-1)
Output ➡ -1

Press ENTER to see the result.

Excel returns -1, because C4 is $1348.00. The statement C4=0 is FALSE. The output of C5/C4-1 is returned.

Convert the number into a percentage following the steps described in Method 1.
Drag down the Fill Handle to AutoFill the formula.

Method 3 – Calculating the Percentage Increase from Zero using the AND Function in Excel

Use the AND function.

Select D5. Enter the formula.

=IF(AND(C4=0,(C5-C4)<>0),1,C5/C4-1)

The logical test is AND(C4=0,(C5-C4)<>0). If the statement is TRUE, Excel will return 1 as output. If the statement is FALSE, Excel will return the output by calculating C5/C4-1 to get the increase in Revenue.

Formula Breakdown

C5-C4 → Subtracts C4 from C5.
Output: -12
C5/C4-1 ⇒ Calculates the change in Revenue.
Output: -0.008902077
AND(C4=0,(C5-C4)<>0) → Checks if all arguments (C4=0 and C5-C4<>0) are TRUE. Returns TRUE if all the arguments are TRUE. Otherwise, FALSE.
AND(C4=0,(-12)<>0)
Output: FALSE (the first argument is FALSE)
IF(AND(C4=0,(C5-C4)<>0),1,C5/C4-1) ⇒ Returns the result after analyzing the logical test.
IF(AND(C4=0,(C5-C4)<>0),1,-0.008902077)
IF(FALSE,1,-0.008902077)
Output: -0.008902077

Press ENTER. Excel will return -0.008902077.

Convert the number into a percentage following the steps described in Method 1.
Drag down the Fill Handle to AutoFill the formula.

Method 4 – Calculating the Percentage Increase from Zero using the ISERROR Function in Excel

Use the ISERROR function.

Select D5. Enter the formula.

=IF(ISERROR((C5-C4)/C4),1,(C5-C4)/C4)

The logical test is ISERROR((C5-C4)/C4. If the statement is TRUE, Excel will return 1 as output. If the statement is FALSE, Excel will return the output by calculating (C5-C4)/C4 to get the percentage increase.

Formula Breakdown

(C5-C4)/C4 ⇒ calculates the change in Revenue.
Output : -1
ISERROR((C5-C4)/C4) → checks whether (C5-C4)/C4 is an error. Returns TRUE if it is an error, FALSE if it is not.
Output: FALSE (since –1 is not undefined or has any other error)
IF(ISERROR((C5-C4)/C4),1,(C5-C4)/C4) ⇾ returns the result by analyzing the logical test.
IF((ISERROR((C5-C4)/C4),1,-1)
IF(FALSE,1,-1)
Output: -1