PERCENTILE.INC Function

Summary

PERCENTILE.INC returns the value at a chosen percentile using the inclusive method. This version includes the full range of the dataset, so k can run from 0 to 1.

That makes it a practical choice when you want percentiles that connect cleanly to the minimum and maximum. For example, k=0 returns the minimum and k=1 returns the maximum. Between those points, Excel interpolates as needed.

PERCENTILE.INC serves the same threshold idea with the inclusive convention, which is more common in many spreadsheet contexts. It is useful in reporting, benchmarking, and scoring models that need a value tied to a percentile rank inside the data range.

Syntax

=PERCENTILE.INC(array, k)

array is your numeric dataset, and k is the percentile written as a decimal between 0 and 1. So 0.25 means the 25th percentile and 0.9 means the 90th percentile.

Arguments

• array - [required] The numeric range or array you want to evaluate.
• k - [required] The percentile as a decimal where 0 <= k <= 1.

PERCENTILE.INC vs Other Functions

If you need the full range, this is the safer choice. The exclusive version is stricter about valid percentile inputs and dataset size.

Using the PERCENTILE.INC Function

This function is useful when you want a percentile cutoff that still respects the whole distribution. In reporting, that often means service targets, delivery thresholds, score cutoffs, or pricing tiers. The percentile tells you where a threshold sits, and the inclusive method makes that threshold easier to relate to the minimum and maximum values in the same dataset.

Microsoft notes a few rules that matter. If the array is empty, Excel returns #NUM!. If k is not numeric, Excel returns #VALUE!. If k<0 or k>1, Excel returns #NUM!. When k is not a multiple of 1/(n-1), Excel interpolates.

So the idea is simple. You choose a percentile, Excel gives the matching cutoff, and you can then use that cutoff in labels, targets, or further formulas.

Example 1 - Find the 90th percentile

This returns a high-end threshold based on the full list.

=PERCENTILE.INC(B1:B10,0.9) // Returns the 90th percentile.

Example 2 - Mark the upper quarter

The 75th percentile is often used to separate the upper quarter from the rest.

=PERCENTILE.INC(A1:A10,0.75) // Returns the 75th percentile.

Example 3 - Check the middle percentile

The 50th percentile gives the midpoint percentile under the inclusive method.

=PERCENTILE.INC(B1:B10,0.5) // Returns the 50th percentile.

Example 4 - Set an 80th percentile benchmark

This gives a strong but still broadly grounded performance target.

=PERCENTILE.INC(B1:B10,0.8) // Returns the 80th percentile.

Conclusion Recap

PERCENTILE.INC is the percentile version that works across the full range of the dataset. This lesson showed that it is often the easier choice when you want a practical cutoff and also want the percentile scale to connect cleanly to the minimum and maximum values.

The most useful beginner point is the rule for k. In this version, it can go from 0 to 1, which makes it different from the exclusive method. That is why PERCENTILE.INC often feels more natural for full-range reporting and benchmarks.

• Main job: PERCENTILE.INC returns a percentile cutoff using the inclusive method.
• k rule: Use a decimal from 0 to 1.
• Endpoint support: k=0 maps to the minimum and k=1 maps to the maximum.
• Interpolation: Excel calculates between values when needed.
• Good use cases: Thresholds, benchmarks, and full-range reporting.