Divide by zero and get 2 different answers

[rfinnegan]

I am measuring the increase in sales from one month to the next and want to show the percentage increase.

Here's the formula I've been using --
=IF(ISERROR(SUM(G7/D7)),0,(SUM((SUM(G7/D7)-1))))

Here' show it handle s the following events -

If there was 1 sale in January and 5 sales in February, Excel shows an increase of 500%.
Great.

If there were 0 sales in January and 0 sales in February, Excel shows 0%.
Great.

But if there were 0 sales in January and 5 sales in February, Excel shows 0%.
That is mathmatically correct, but it doesn't show that there WAS an increase in sales.

Is there a way to place something in the cell (astriks for example) instead of 0's that would indicate an increase in sales, even though mathmatically it's 0%?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Scott Huish]

Based on you results you say you want, not sure what the -1 is for, but there is no need for ISERROR or SUM:

Perhaps:
=IF(D7,G7/D7,IF(G7,"*****",0))

 

[mortgageman]

I am measuring the increase in sales from one month to the next and want to show the percentage increase.

Here's the formula I've been using --
=IF(ISERROR(SUM(G7/D7)),0,(SUM((SUM(G7/D7)-1))))

Here' show it handle s the following events -

If there was 1 sale in January and 5 sales in February, Excel shows an increase of 500%.
Great.

If there were 0 sales in January and 0 sales in February, Excel shows 0%.
Great.

But if there were 0 sales in January and 5 sales in February, Excel shows 0%.
That is mathmatically correct, but it doesn't show that there WAS an increase in sales.

Is there a way to place something in the cell (astriks for example) instead of 0's that would indicate an increase in sales, even though mathmatically it's 0%?

Thanks in advance.

actually, it is NOT correct. The formula for percent change is (new-old)/old. (5-0)/0 is infinite not zero. More to the point - what do you want to see as in increase from 0 to 5? The word "Increase"? Do you want to see the same thing if you have an increase from 0 to 10?