Defining Explicit Precedence in Google Sheets Query (Logical Operators)

GiGiKing·Tháng ba 28, 2024·0 comments

Have you ever struggled with getting the correct information when using logical operators like AND, OR, and NOT in Google Sheets Query? It can be frustrating when the formula doesn’t return the results you want. But fear not! In this article, I’ll show you how to define explicit precedence using parentheses to solve this problem.

Why Do We Need Explicit Precedence?

When you use multiple logical operators in Query to combine different conditions, it’s crucial to use parentheses to define explicit precedence. Otherwise, the formula may not return the desired information. Let me explain how it works.

Let’s say you have a dataset with eight records spread across seven columns. You want to retrieve the item codes based on specific conditions. Here are the conditions:

Either column B is “Yes” or column C is “Opened” (Condition 1)
Column F is TRUE (Condition 2)
Column G is TRUE (Condition 3)

To achieve the desired output, you need to use the following formula:

=QUERY(A1:G, "select A where (B='Yes' or C='Opened') and F=TRUE and G=TRUE")

Take a look at the sample records below:

Sample Records in Sheets

In this example, the formula satisfies all three conditions in rows 2, 3, and 9. It’s important to note that the parentheses around the OR operators are crucial for defining explicit precedence.

Alternatively, you can use the following formula, which will give you the same records:

=QUERY(A1:G, "select A where F=TRUE and G=TRUE and (B='Yes' or C='Opened')")

Formula Example - Defining Explicit Precedence in Query

By using parentheses to define explicit precedence, you ensure that the formula is evaluated correctly, resulting in the desired output.

What Happens When You Don’t Define Explicit Precedence?

Now, let’s see what happens when you remove the parentheses around the OR operators:

=QUERY(A1:G, "select A where B='Yes' or C='Opened' and F=TRUE and G=TRUE")

Here’s the twist: the query is evaluated in a specific order. It filters records based on these conditions:

Column B is “Yes”
Column C is “Opened,” and Column F is TRUE, and Column G is TRUE

Query Formula without Parentheses around Logical Operators

As you can see, the result differs from the desired output. The item codes in rows 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 9 are included. By not using parentheses to define explicit precedence, you end up with incorrect results.

To avoid this issue, always remember to use parentheses to clearly define the precedence of your logical operators.

That’s it! Now you know how to define explicit precedence in Google Sheets Query using logical operators. I hope this article has been helpful and that you can apply this knowledge to your own projects. If you want to learn more about Query and other useful functions in Google Sheets, check out the resources below: