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XOR
XOR (exclusive OR) returns TRUE if an odd number of the provided conditions are TRUE, and FALSE if an even number (including zero or all) are TRUE. It is useful for toggle logic, parity checks, and scenarios where exactly one of several mutually exclusive conditions should be met.
Excel
=XOR(A2="Yes",B2="Yes")Google Sheets
=XOR(A2="Yes",B2="Yes")✓
Verified example
Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.
| Approval A | Approval B | Exclusive? |
| Yes | No | =XOR(A2="Yes",B2="Yes") |
| No | Yes | =XOR(A3="Yes",B3="Yes") |
| Yes | Yes | =XOR(A4="Yes",B4="Yes") |
| No | No | =XOR(A5="Yes",B5="Yes") |
=XOR(A2="Yes",B2="Yes")→TRUE
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How it works
- 1Set up two or more logical conditions to test — for example, A2="Yes" and B2="Yes".
- 2Enter =XOR(A2="Yes",B2="Yes") to return TRUE only when exactly one of the two conditions is TRUE.
- 3Combine with IF: =IF(XOR(A2="Yes",B2="Yes"),"One approved","Both or neither") to display a message.
Need a version for your data?
Try: “Check whether exactly one of two approval columns is marked Yes, but not both”