FormulaCraft

How to calculate future value in Excel and Google Sheets

Topic:Finance basics
Excel & Google Sheets
=FV(B2/12,C2,-D2,-A2)
✓

Verified example

Computed by a real spreadsheet engine on the sample data below.

InitialAnnual RateMonthsMonthly ContribFuture Value
50000.0660200
10000.0536100
100000.08120500
00.0724300

=FV(B2/12,C2,-D2,-A2)→20698.2568647188

Try it with your data

Edit the grid or formula, then run it through a real spreadsheet engine — no signup.

Sample data — click any cell to edit

Runs server-side · free · no signup

Step by step

  1. 1Set up columns: Present Value / Initial Investment (A), Annual Rate (B, as decimal), Number of Months (C), and Monthly Contribution (D).
  2. 2Enter =FV(B2/12,C2,-D2,-A2) in the Future Value column. The rate is divided by 12 for monthly compounding. Negate PV and PMT so the result is a positive future value.
  3. 3Format the result as Currency. This shows the total value of your investment at the end of the term.

Tips

Working on a sheet you inherited? Run the Auditor on the whole file first — it flags every #REF!, #N/A, broken column pattern, and inconsistent formula in seconds, free, no signup.

Frequently asked

What does a negative FV result mean?

It means cash is flowing out. Negate your PV and PMT inputs (use -A2 and -D2) to ensure a positive result representing money received.

Can I calculate future value with annual compounding?

Yes. Use =FV(B2,C2,0,-A2) where B2 is the annual rate and C2 is the number of years, and omit the /12 conversion.

More on Finance basics

See all →
How-to

How to calculate tiered commission

Apply different commission rates by sales tier using IFS. Works in Excel 2019/365 and Google Sheets.

How-to

How to calculate gross margin

Compute gross margin percentage as (price − cost) / price. Identical in Excel and Google Sheets.

How-to

How to calculate compound interest

Compute a compounded future value with principal × (1 + rate)^years using POWER. Identical in Excel and Google Sheets.

How-to

How to calculate cost per unit

Divide total cost by total units to find cost per unit using a simple formula in Excel or Google Sheets.

How-to

How to calculate a selling price from a target margin

Use cost and target gross margin percentage to back-calculate the required selling price in Excel or Google Sheets.

How-to

How to calculate simple interest

Multiply principal, rate, and time to compute simple interest using a straightforward formula in Excel or Sheets.

Formulas used

FVPVRATEPDURATIONRRINPV

Related tasks

Written and reviewed by FormulaCraft Team. Each formula on this page is run through our verification engine before publishing.

Last reviewed: