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MINA Function

Excel 2007+

Summary

The Excel MINA function returns the smallest numeric value from a set of arguments, uniquely treating logical TRUE as 1 and any text or FALSE as 0. Unlike standard minimum functions, MINA considers non-numeric data in calculations for more comprehensive minimum value detection.

Syntax

MINA(value1, [value2], ... )

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
value1	`Any`	Yes	First value to evaluate - can be number, cell reference, array, logical value, or text
[value2], ...	`Any`	No	Additional values (optional), up to 254 more arguments for maximum 255 total

Using the MINA Function

MINA excels at finding minimum values across mixed data types including logicals and text. Perfect for datasets containing TRUE/FALSE flags, status text, or inconsistent data entry where traditional MIN functions might overlook significant values converted to zero.

Common MINA Examples

Basic MINA with Logical Values

=MINA(A2:A6)

Data: FALSE(0), 0.2, 0.5, 0.4, 0.8 → Returns 0 (FALSE converts to 0)

MINA with Text and Numbers

=MINA("Status", 15, TRUE, 5, "N/A")

Returns 1 (TRUE=1 is smallest after text→0 conversion)

MINA vs MIN Comparison

=MINA(B1:B10) & " | " & MIN(B1:B10)

Shows difference when logicals/text present in range

Frequently Asked Questions

TRUE evaluates as 1, FALSE evaluates as 0

No, text representations convert to 0, unlike MIN which ignores text

Returns 0

Use MINA when you want logical values and text (as 0) included in minimum calculation

Common Errors and Solutions

#VALUE! error

Cause: Arguments contain error values or unconvertible text

Solution: Remove error cells or use IFERROR wrapper

Unexpected minimum value

Cause: TRUE values (1) or text (0) affecting result

Solution: Use MIN function to exclude logicals/text

Notes

Maximum 255 arguments
Empty cells ignored automatically
Array formulas supported
Use MIN for numbers only, MINA for inclusive minimums

Compatibility

Available in: Excel 2007, Excel 2010, Excel 2013, Excel 2016, Excel 2019, Excel 2021, Microsoft 365

Not available in: Excel 2003 and earlier

Content last reviewed: December 11, 2025
Update frequency: As needed
Excel versions tested: Excel 2007+