Most junk-removal prices include a weight allowance, and anything past it gets billed. MAX with a zero floor makes sure a light load never generates a credit you did not intend to give.
1,850 lb against a 1,200 lb allowance is 650 lb over, at $0.06 a pound — a $39.00 overage.
The example
Three loads weighed at the transfer station against the same 1,200 lb allowance.
| A | B | C | D | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Load | Weight (lb) | Allowance | $/lb over | Overage |
| 2 | Load 1 | 1850 | 1200 | 0.06 | $39.00 |
| 3 | Load 2 | 900 | 1200 | 0.06 | $0.00 |
| 4 | Load 3 | 2400 | 1200 | 0.06 | $72.00 |
The formula
The MAX wrapper is what stops a light load turning into a refund:
How it works
Read the inner expression first:
B2-C2is the excess weight — but on Load 2 it comes out at −300, which would bill the customer negative eighteen dollars.MAX(0,...)replaces any negative with zero, so an under-weight load simply has no overage.*D2converts the excess pounds into dollars at your per-pound rate.
This zero-floor pattern shows up anywhere you bill an excess: overage minutes, extra mileage, additional guests. The shape is always MAX(0, actual − included).
Try it: interactive demo
Enter the weighed load, the included allowance, and your rate.
Variations
Bill by the ton
Transfer stations often quote per ton; divide the excess before applying the rate.
Total the customer pays
Add the base job price to the overage.
Pitfalls & errors
Weigh in and weigh out. The scale ticket is gross weight including your truck — billing that number instead of the net load is a fast way to lose a customer.
Put the allowance in its own column rather than the formula. Different service tiers usually include different weights, and you will want to change them per row.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
Why not just use IF?
Should the allowance scale with the load size?
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