Short answer

This should do that. If L2:L="" or K2:K="", then leave blank, else subtract K from L. =ARRAYFORMULA(IF((L2:L="")+(K2:K=""), , L2:L-K2:K))

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If you want the absolute difference, you can use ABS around the last part of Dazrin's formula L | K | Normal | Absolute | 1 | 3 | -2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 1

Coefficient

coefficient.io › home

How to Subtract in Google Sheets: A Clear and Confident Guide

September 2, 2025 - For example, if you want to subtract cell A2 from cells B2 through B5, you would select the range B2 and type “=B2:B5-A2” (without quotes) in the formula bar. Then, press Ctrl + Shift + Enter to enter the formula as an array formula.

Spreadsheet Point

spreadsheetpoint.com › home › google sheets tips › how to subtract in google sheets: the ultimate guide

How To Subtract in Google Sheets: The Ultimate 2026 Guide

February 6, 2024 - This is done by using the Array formula. ... Enter the equal sign (=) and ARRAYFORMULA in the first cell of the result matrix. Select the cells for the matrix you want to subtract from.

Find elsewhere

Google Bing Mojeek

stackoverflow.com › questions › 61037903 › how-do-we-use-minus-with-array

google sheets - How do we use MINUS with array - Stack Overflow

In my rather simple-minded comment above I suggested the 'MINUS' function for a range A1:A10 would just be

A1-sum(A2:A10)

Another way of doing it would be

2*A1-sum(a1:a10)

Applying this second formula to your filtered data gives:

=2*array_constrain(filter(D:D,left(B:B)<>" ",D:D<>""),1,1)-ARRAYFORMULA(sumif(left(B:B,1),"<> ",D:D))

In other words, find the first row with data in it, multiply by two and subtract the sum of all the data.

makeuseof.com › home › productivity › how to subtract in google sheets

use minus operator instead of function like:

=ARRAYFORMULA(A1:A10 - B1:B10)

or you can use QUERY like:

=QUERY(A1:B10, "select A - B")

=QUERY({A1:B10}, "select Col1 - Col2")

MakeUseOf

How to Subtract in Google Sheets

January 23, 2023 - The core formula selects matrix 2 (A7 to C9), subtracts it from matrix 1 (A2 to C4), and then displays the subtraction results in matrix 3. The difference between the two methods is that in the first method, we only typed the core formula and then pressed Ctrl + Shift + Enter rather than Enter alone. This combination signals to Google Sheets that it's dealing with an array, and Google Sheets automatically houses the formula inside an ArrayFormula function.

SimpleSheets

simplesheets.co › blog › how-to-subtract-in-google-sheets

Subtract in Google Sheets: Cells, Columns and Dates

Type the formula =Cell1 - Cell2, replacing Cell1 and Cell2 with the references of the cells you want to subtract. For example, to subtract the value in cell B2 from the value in cell A2, type =A2 - B2.

reddit.com › r/googlesheets › using arrayformula and need to subtract cells within the same column

r/googlesheets on Reddit: Using ARRAYFORMULA and need to subtract cells within the same column

September 8, 2021 -

I created a Google Form we can use to track our utility meter readings. I want to find out the total daily consumption which would subtract the newest submission from the previous submission and then multiply it by the meter multiplier (VLOOKUP). I am using the ARRAYFORMULA so it copies down with new submissions, but it doesn't seem to be changing the subtraction cells in the copy down. How can I get this to work properly?

=ARRAYFORMULA(If(ROW(B:B)=1,"Total Consumption",VLookup(B$1,'Metered Usage'!A1:B24,2,0)*(B3-B2)))

https://imgur.com/a/w30gWBU

Acronyms, initialisms, abbreviations, contractions, and other phrases which expand to something larger, that I've seen in this thread: Fewer Letters | More Letters | Last usage | Enables the display of values returned from an array formula into multiple rows and/or columns and the use of non-array functions with arrays | Last usage | Constrains an array result to a specified size | FALSE | Returns the logical value FALSE | Last usage | Returns one value if a logical expression is TRUE and another if it is FALSE | Last usage | Returns the first argument if it is not an error value, otherwise returns the second argument if present, or a blank if the second argument is absent | Last usage | Returns the row number of a specified cell | Last usage | Returns the number of rows in a specified array or range | TRUE | Returns the logical value TRUE | Last usage | Vertical lookup. Searches down the first column of a range for a key and returns the value of a specified cell in the row found [Thread #3346 for this sub, first seen 8th Sep 2021, 20:01] [FAQ] [Full list] ^[Contact] [Source code]

Layer Blog

blog.golayer.io › google sheets › how to subtract in google sheets formula & examples

How to Subtract in Google Sheets Formula & Examples | Layer Blog

June 26, 2023 - Type the ARRAYFORMULA function, followed by the MINUS function. Select the range of cells as the first parameter, followed by a comma and the value or cell reference you want to subtract.

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YouTube

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How to Subtract in Google Sheets (single cells and full arrays) - YouTube

01:10

Here are a few easy ways to subtract cells in Google Sheets. Skip to 40 seconds to see how to use the array formula to subtract a group of cells from another...

Published: February 1, 2024

Layer

golayer.io › home › how to subtract in google sheets formula & examples

How to Subtract in Google Sheets Formula & Examples | Layer Blog

July 17, 2024 - 1. Open the spreadsheet with your columns of values. 2. In an empty cell, type the ARRAYFORMULA function followed by the MINUS function. 3. Select the column with the minuends followed by a comma.

stackoverflow.com › questions › 65954313 › googlesheet-hot-to-subtract-an-array-each-cell-with-the-last-one

google sheets - GoogleSheet, Hot to subtract an array, each cell with the last one? - Stack Overflow

try:

=ARRAYFORMULA(IF(A3:A="",,TEXT(A3:A1000-A2:A999, "[h]:mm:ss")))

Here is another approach, doing the same.

=ARRAYFORMULA({"ELAPSED ";0;
    OFFSET($A$2,1,0,COUNT(A:A)-1)-OFFSET($A$2,0,0,COUNT(A:A)-1)})

This uses the the count of values up to the current row to calculate the appropriate offset from the first time, in A2, giving the two time values that are relevant for the current row. Then one is subtracted from the other, to give the time delta.

stackoverflow.com › questions › 43507822 › google-spreadsheet-sum-or-minus-of-above-cell-in-the-column-using-arrayformula

excel - Google Spreadsheet, SUM or MINUS of above cell in the column using ARRAYFORMULA in the first row - Stack Overflow

excelmojo.com › home › google sheets › google sheets math functions › subtraction formula in google sheets

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I think the error is because of offset range N:N which starts from N1 and you are trying to shift it -1 or one cell up, which brings the formula out of sheet.

Try this formula instead:

=arrayformula( {"Amount saved this month"; if(LEN(N2:N),N2:N-offset(N2:N,-1,0),"")})

It uses {} to make an array. See more info:

https://support.google.com/docs/answer/6208276?hl=en

Bonus. There is no reason to check row number now.

ExcelMojo

Subtraction Formula in Google Sheets - Syntax, How To Subtract?

April 28, 2026 - To perform subtraction on these ranges, let us use the ARRAYFORMULA function to subtract each value in Column B from the corresponding value in Column A. Step 2: Let us use ARRAYFORMULA as follows in cell I1. ... Master spreadsheet formulas, dashboards, charts, reporting, and productivity workflows that transfer well across Excel and Google Sheets.

stackoverflow.com › questions › 60813779 › array-subtraction-in-google-sheets

Array subtraction in Google Sheets - Stack Overflow

infoinspired.com › home › google docs › spreadsheet › subtract the previous row’s value in google sheets

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use ArrayFormula:

=ARRAYFORMULA(A1:A10-B1:B10)

or shorter Index:

=INDEX(A1:A10-B1:B10)

or longer Query:

=QUERY(A1:B10, "select A-B label A-B''", 0)

InfoInspired

Subtract the Previous Row’s Value in Google Sheets

March 27, 2025 - MAP, BYROW, and SCAN can all perform row-wise subtraction, but MAP allows working with multiple arrays. Dynamic ranges can be handled using INDEX and MATCH. Grouped calculations require an additional condition to reset subtraction at group boundaries. This method is efficient and avoids the need for helper columns or manual calculations. Try it out in your Google Sheets workflows!

The Bricks

thebricks.com › home › resources › how to subtract columns in google sheets

How to Subtract Columns in Google Sheets

April 22, 2025 - Instead, we manually add the columns within the array formula, which produces the same effective result as a row-wise sum: =ARRAYFORMULA(IF(A2:A="", "", A2:A - (B2:B + C2:C + D2:D))) Notice the columns being subtracted are grouped in parentheses ...

Stack Exchange

webapps.stackexchange.com › questions › 88840 › using-arrayformula-to-compute-running-decremented-total-subtracting-the-previou

google sheets - Using Arrayformula to compute running decremented total, subtracting the previous cell - Web Applications Stack Exchange

Short answer

Add the following formula to A3

=ArrayFormula(
   A2
   - 
   MMULT(
     N(ROW(B2:B5)>=TRANSPOSE(ROW(B2:B5)))
     *
     Transpose(B2:B5),
     SIGN(ROW(B2:B5))
   )
 )

Explanation

To the initial value, A2, subtract the cumulative sum down column, also called running total. One way to do this with array formulas is using MMULT. The construct shown here of the cumulative sum down column was taken from the reference.

References

MMULT Usage by Adam Lusk