What is the SMALL Function
The SMALL function returns the nth smallest value from a range. It is the opposite of LARGE and is useful for finding bottom performers, lowest scores, and ranking from the bottom.
Formula: =SMALL(array, k)
Practical Example 1
Sales are in B2:B10. Get the 2nd lowest sale.
Type: =SMALL(B2:B10, 2)
Result: the second lowest value
Practical Example 2
Get the bottom 3 sales.
Type: =SMALL(B2:B10, 1) and =SMALL(B2:B10, 2) and =SMALL(B2:B10, 3)
Result: the three lowest sales values
Practical Example 3
Combine SMALL with LARGE to measure the range.
Type: =LARGE(B2:B10, 1) - SMALL(B2:B10, 1)
Result: the range between highest and lowest
When to Use It
SMALL is used for finding bottom performers, for ranking from the bottom, for lowest scores, for bottom-N reports, and for any analysis that needs the nth smallest value.