---
title: "Use the MINOF Function to Return the Smallest Value of a Block"
slug: "minof-function"
description: "Learn to use the MINOF function for to retrieve a Block's lowest value in Pigment, with practical use case examples."
updated: 2025-05-28T10:24:31Z
published: 2025-08-22T12:00:18Z
canonical: "kb.pigment.com/minof-function"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.pigment.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# MINOF function

## ​​​Description

Returns the smallest value of a Block.

## Syntax

`MINOF(Block)`

## Arguments

| Argument | Type | Dimensions | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| *Block* (required) | Integer, Number or Date | Any | If *Block* is a Date, the function returns the earliest date. For Number or Integer, it will return the lowest value. |

## Returns

| Type | Dimensions |
| --- | --- |
| Same Type as argument *Block* | No Dimension |

## Examples

Employee is a Dimension List:

| Formula | Result | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `MINOF(Employee.ID)` | 1 | ![](https://uploads-eu-west-1.insided.com/pigment-en/attachment/ee46795a-57dd-4b68-b8f3-f04f88176022.png) |
| `MINOF(Employee.'Start date')` | 12/14/1986 | Returns the earliest or first start date from the block. |

## See also

Related articles: [MAXOF](/v1/docs/maxof-function), [SUMOF](/v1/docs/sumof-function)

> [!TIP]
> **More of a hands-on learner?**
> 
> Talk to your Customer Success Manager about downloading the Functions and Modifiers in Pigment Application into your workspace. It includes examples of every formula and modifier in Pigment!

​

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