Getting a percentage change can be useful in many ways, such as showing the difference between two values and the percentage of increase or decrease.

To calculate percentage changes between two values in Excel, you're going to need only one single formula. Subtract the old value from the new value and divide it by the old value.

To calculate the percentage change, you can use the generic formula below and then convert it to percentage. Now let's put all this into practice with a simple example.

        (New value - Old value) / (Old value)
    

How to Calculate Percentage Increase in Excel

Here's an example, suppose you have two values, and you want to calculate the percentage change between them.

  1. Open a new spreadsheet in Excel.
  2. In cells A1, B1, and C1, type First Value, Second Value, and Percentage Change, respectively. These labels will make identifying cells easier.
  3. With regards to the generic formula mentioned above, select cell C2 and in the formula bar, and enter the formula below:
            =(B2-A2)/A2
        
    Note that if you remove the parentheses, the formula won't function properly because it will prioritize the division over subtraction.
  4. Select cell C2, then go to the Home tab, and from the Number, section click on the % symbol. This will convert the value of the cell to percentage, and your cell will now show the percentage change.

Related: How to Divide in Excel

Now all you've to do is insert numbers into the two cells, and the third cell will display the percentage change of the two values.

Calculating percentage change in excel is possible with a single formula.

More Ways to Turn Data Into Information

By utilizing functions and formulas in Excel, you can turn your data into something more to demonstrate the points you want more efficiently.

Calculating percentage change is just one of the many ways you could do this. There is much more to master.