Finding errors in excel - Word и Excel - помощь в работе с программами

Errors are quite common. You will not find a single person who does not make any errors in Excel. When the errors are part and parcel of Excel, one must know how to find those errors and resolve those issues.

When using Excel routinely, we may encounter many errors flagged if the error handler is enabled. Otherwise, we may get potential calculation errors. So if you are new to error handling in Excel, this article is a perfect guide for you.

How to Find Errors in Excel?
- Find and Handle Errors in Excel
  - Example #1 – Error Handling through Error Handler
  - Example #2 – Formulas Error Handling
- Things to Remember
- Recommended Articles

Find and Handle Errors in Excel

You can download this Error Checking Excel Template here – Error Checking Excel Template

Whenever an Excel cell encounters an error, it will, by default, display the error through the error handler. The error handler in Excel is a built-in tool. We can enable this using this and get the full benefit of it.

As we can see in the above image, we have an error notifier showing that there is an error with the cell B2 value.

You also must have come across this error handler in Excel but are not aware of this. If the Excel worksheet does not show this error handling message, we must enable this by following the below steps:

We must first click on the “File” tab in the ribbon.
Under the “File” tab, click on “Options.”
It will open the “Excel Options” window. Next, click on the “Formulas” tab.
Under “Error Checking,” check the “Enable background error checking” box.

At the bottom, we can choose the color which can notify the error. The green color has been selected by default, but we can change this.

Example #1 – Error Handling through Error Handler

When the data format is not proper, we may get errors. So in those scenarios, in that particular cell, we may see that error notification.

For example, look at the below image of an error.

When we place our cursor on that error handler, it shows the message, “The number in this cell is formatted as text or preceded by an apostrophe.”

To fix this error, we must click on the drop-down listA drop-down list in excel is a pre-defined list of inputs that allows users to select an option.read more of the icon, and we see the below options.

The first displays “Number Stored as Text,” which is the error. To fix this excel errorErrors in excel are common and often occur at times of applying formulas. The list of nine most common excel errors are — #DIV/0, #N/A, #NAME?, #NULL!, #NUM!, #REF!, #VALUE!, #####, Circular Reference.read more, look at the second option. The “Convert to Number” mentions clicking on these options. Therefore, it will solve the error.

Now, look at the cell. It has no error message icon now. Like this, we can fix data format-related errors easily.

Example #2 – Formulas Error Handling

Formulas often return an error. To deal with those errors, we need to employ a different strategy. Before handling the error, we need to look at the kind of errors we encounter in different scenarios.

Below are the kind of errors we see in Excel.

#DIV/0! – If the number is divided by 0 or an empty cell, we may get the #DIV/0 error#DIV/0! is the division error in Excel which occurs every time a number is divided by zero. Simply put, we get this error when we divide any number by an empty or zero-value cell.read more.
#N/A – If the VLOOKUP formula does not find a value, then we get this error.
#NAME? – If the formula name is not recognized, we get this error.
#REF! – When the formula reference cell is deleted, or the formula reference area is out of range, we may get this #REF! Error.
#VALUE! – When wrong data types are included in the formula, we may get the #VALUE! Error#VALUE! Error in Excel represents that the reference cell the user has either entered an incorrect formula or used a wrong data type (mostly numerical data). Sometimes, it is difficult to identify the kind of mistake behind this error.read more.

So, to deal with the above error values, we need to use the IFERROR functionThe IFERROR function in Excel checks a formula (or a cell) for errors and returns a specified value in place of the error.read more.

For example, look at the below formula image.

The VLOOKUP formula has been applied. However, the LOOKUP value “8” is not mentioned in the “Table Array” range A2 to B6, so the VLOOKUP returns an error value as #N/A, i.e., not available error.

To fix this error, we must use the IFERROR function.

Before using the VLOOKUP function, we used the IFERROR function. If the VLOOKUP function returns an error instead of a result, the IFERROR function returns the alternative outcome, “Not Available,” instead of the traditional #N/A error result.

Like this, we can handle errors in Excel.

Things to Remember

The error notifier will show an error icon if the cell value data type is unsuitable.
The IFERROR function is typically used to check formula errors.

Learn how to enter a simple formula

Formulas are equations that perform calculations on values in your worksheet. A formula starts with an equal sign (=). For example, the following formula adds 3 to 1.

=3+1

A formula can also contain any or all of the following: functions, references, operators, and constants.

Parts of a formula

Functions: included with Excel, functions are engineered formulas that carry out specific calculations. For example, the PI() function returns the value of pi: 3.142…
References: refer to individual cells or ranges of cells. A2 returns the value in cell A2.
Constants: numbers or text values entered directly into a formula, such as 2.
Operators: The ^ (caret) operator raises a number to a power, and the * (asterisk) operator multiplies. Use + and – add and subtract values, and / to divide.

Note: Some functions require what are referred to as arguments. Arguments are the values that certain functions use to perform their calculations. When required, arguments are placed between the function’s parentheses (). The PI function does not require any arguments, which is why it’s blank. Some functions require one or more arguments, and can leave room for additional arguments. You need to use a comma to separate arguments, or a semi-colon (;) depending on your location settings.

The SUM function for example, requires only one argument, but can accommodate 255 total arguments.

=SUM(A1:A10) is an example of a single argument.

=SUM(A1:A10, C1:C10) is an example of multiple arguments.

The following table summarizes some of the most common errors that a user can make when entering a formula, and explains how to correct them.

Make sure that you	More information
Start every function with the equal sign (=)	If you omit the equal sign, what you type may be displayed as text or as a date. For example, if you type SUM(A1:A10), Excel displays the text string SUM(A1:A10) and does not perform the calculation. If you type 11/2, Excel displays the date 2-Nov (assuming the cell format is General) instead of dividing 11 by 2.
Match all open and closing parentheses	Make sure that all parentheses are part of a matching pair (opening and closing). When you use a function in a formula, it is important for each parenthesis to be in its correct position for the function to work correctly. For example, the formula *=IF(B5<0),»Not valid»,B51.05) will not work because there are two closing parentheses and only one open parenthesis, when there should only be one each. The formula should look like this: =IF(B5<0,»Not valid»,B51.05)*.
Use a colon to indicate a range	When you refer to a range of cells, use a colon (:) to separate the reference to the first cell in the range and the reference to the last cell in the range. For example, =SUM(A1:A5), not =SUM(A1 A5), which would return a #NULL! Error.
Enter all required arguments	Some functions have required arguments. Also, make sure that you have not entered too many arguments.
Enter the correct type of arguments	Some functions, such as SUM, require numerical arguments. Other functions, such as REPLACE, require a text value for at least one of their arguments. If you use the wrong type of data as an argument, Excel may return unexpected results or display an error.
Nest no more than 64 functions	You can enter, or nest, no more than 64 levels of functions within a function.
Enclose other sheet names in single quotation marks	If a formula refers to values or cells on other worksheets or workbooks, and the name of the other workbook or worksheet contains spaces or non-alphabetical characters, you must enclose its name within single quotation marks ( ‘ ), like =’Quarterly Data’!D3, or =‘123’!A1.
Place an exclamation point (!) after a worksheet name when you refer to it in a formula	For example, to return the value from cell D3 in a worksheet named Quarterly Data in the same workbook, use this formula: =’Quarterly Data’!D3.
Include the path to external workbooks	Make sure that each external reference contains a workbook name and the path to the workbook. A reference to a workbook includes the name of the workbook and must be enclosed in brackets ([Workbookname.xlsx]). The reference must also contain the name of the worksheet in the workbook. If the workbook that you want to refer to is not open in Excel, you can still include a reference to it in a formula. You provide the full path to the file, such as in the following example: =ROWS(‘C:My Documents[Q2 Operations.xlsx]Sales’!A1:A8). This formula returns the number of rows in the range that includes cells A1 through A8 in the other workbook (8). Note: If the full path contains space characters, as does the preceding example, you must enclose the path in single quotation marks (at the beginning of the path and after the name of the worksheet, before the exclamation point).
Enter numbers without formatting	Do not format numbers when you enter them in formulas. For example, if the value that you want to enter is $1,000, enter 1000 in the formula. If you enter a comma as part of a number, Excel treats it as a separator character. If you want numbers displayed so that they show thousands or millions separators, or currency symbols, format the cells after you enter the numbers. For example, if you want to add 3100 to the value in cell A3, and you enter the formula =SUM(3,100,A3), Excel adds the numbers 3 and 100 and then adds that total to the value from A3, instead of adding 3100 to A3 which would be =SUM(3100,A3). Or, if you enter the formula =ABS(-2,134), Excel displays an error because the ABS function accepts only one argument: =ABS(-2134).

You can implement certain rules to check for errors in formulas. These rules do not guarantee that your worksheet is error free, but they can go a long way toward finding common mistakes. You can turn any of these rules on or off individually.

Errors can be marked and corrected in two ways: one error at a time (like a spell checker), or immediately when they occur on the worksheet as you enter data.

You can resolve an error by using the options that Excel displays, or you can ignore the error by clicking Ignore Error. If you ignore an error in a particular cell, the error in that cell does not appear in further error checks. However, you can reset all previously ignored errors so that they appear again.

For Excel on Windows, Click File > Options > Formulas, or
for Excel on Mac, click the Excel menu > Preferences > Error Checking.

In Excel 2007, click the Microsoft Office button > Excel Options > Formulas.
Under Error Checking, check Enable background error checking. Any error that is found, will be marked with a triangle in the top-left corner of the cell.
To change the color of the triangle that marks where an error occurs, in the Indicate errors using this color box, select the color that you want.
Under Excel checking rules, select or clear the check boxes of any of the following rules:
- Cells containing formulas that result in an error: A formula does not use the expected syntax, arguments, or data types. Error values include #DIV/0!, #N/A, #NAME?, #NULL!, #NUM!, #REF!, and #VALUE!. Each of these error values have different causes and are resolved in different ways.
  
  Note: If you enter an error value directly in a cell, it is stored as that error value but is not marked as an error. However, if a formula in another cell refers to that cell, the formula returns the error value from that cell.
- Inconsistent calculated column formula in tables: A calculated column can include individual formulas that are different from the master column formula, which creates an exception. Calculated column exceptions are created when you do any of the following:
  - Type data other than a formula in a calculated column cell.
  - Type a formula in a calculated column cell, and then use Ctrl +Z or click Undo on the Quick Access Toolbar.
  - Type a new formula in a calculated column that already contains one or more exceptions.
  - Copy data into the calculated column that does not match the calculated column formula. If the copied data contains a formula, this formula overwrites the data in the calculated column.
  - Move or delete a cell on another worksheet area that is referenced by one of the rows in a calculated column.
- Cells containing years represented as 2 digits: The cell contains a text date that can be misinterpreted as the wrong century when it is used in formulas. For example, the date in the formula =YEAR(«1/1/31») could be 1931 or 2031. Use this rule to check for ambiguous text dates.
- Numbers formatted as text or preceded by an apostrophe: The cell contains numbers stored as text. This typically occurs when data is imported from other sources. Numbers that are stored as text can cause unexpected sorting results, so it is best to convert them to numbers. ‘=SUM(A1:A10) is seen as text.
- Formulas inconsistent with other formulas in the region: The formula does not match the pattern of other formulas near it. In many cases, formulas that are adjacent to other formulas differ only in the references used. In the following example of four adjacent formulas, Excel displays an error next to the formula =SUM(A10:C10) in cell D4 because the adjacent formulas increment by one row, and that one increments by 8 rows — Excel expects the formula =SUM(A4:C4).
  
  If the references that are used in a formula are not consistent with those in the adjacent formulas, Excel displays an error.
- Formulas which omit cells in a region: A formula may not automatically include references to data that you insert between the original range of data and the cell that contains the formula. This rule compares the reference in a formula against the actual range of cells that is adjacent to the cell that contains the formula. If the adjacent cells contain additional values and are not blank, Excel displays an error next to the formula.
  
  For example, Excel inserts an error next to the formula =SUM(D2:D4) when this rule is applied, because cells D5, D6, and D7 are adjacent to the cells that are referenced in the formula and the cell that contains the formula (D8), and those cells contain data that should have been referenced in the formula.
- Unlocked cells containing formulas: The formula is not locked for protection. By default, all cells on a worksheet are locked so they can’t be changed when the worksheet is protected. This can help avoid inadvertent mistakes like accidentally deleting or altering formulas. This error indicates that the cell has been set to be unlocked, but the sheet has not been protected. Check to make sure that you do not want the cell locked or not.
- Formulas referring to empty cells: The formula contains a reference to an empty cell. This can cause unintended results, as shown in the following example.
  
  Suppose you want to calculate the average of the numbers in the following column of cells. If the third cell is blank, it is not included in the calculation and the result is 22.75. If the third cell contains 0, the result is 18.2.
- Data entered in a table is invalid: There is a validation error in a table. Check the validation setting for the cell by going to the Data tab > Data Tools group > Data Validation.

Select the worksheet you want to check for errors.
If the worksheet is manually calculated, press F9 to recalculate.

If the Error Checking dialog is not displayed, then click on the Formulas tab > Formula Auditing > Error Checking button.
If you have previously ignored any errors, you can check for those errors again by doing the following: click File > Options > Formulas. For Excel on Mac, click the Excel menu > Preferences > Error Checking.

In the Error Checking section, click Reset Ignored Errors > OK.

Note: Resetting ignored errors resets all errors in all sheets in the active workbook.

Tip: It might help if you move the Error Checking dialog box just below the formula bar.
Click one of the action buttons in the right side of the dialog box. The available actions differ for each type of error.
Click Next.

Note: If you click Ignore Error, the error is marked to be ignored for each consecutive check.

Next to the cell, click the Error Checking button that appears, and then click the option you want. The available commands differ for each type of error, and the first entry describes the error.

If you click Ignore Error, the error is marked to be ignored for each consecutive check.

If a formula cannot correctly evaluate a result, Excel displays an error value, such as #####, #DIV/0!, #N/A, #NAME?, #NULL!, #NUM!, #REF!, and #VALUE!. Each error type has different causes, and different solutions.

The following table contains links to articles that describe these errors in detail, and a brief description to get you started.

Topic	Description
Correct a #### error	Excel displays this error when a column is not wide enough to display all the characters in a cell, or a cell contains negative date or time values. For example, a formula that subtracts a date in the future from a date in the past, such as =06/15/2008-07/01/2008, results in a negative date value. Tip: Try to auto-fit the cell by double-clicking between the column headers. If ### is displayed because Excel can’t display all of the characters this will correct it.
Correct a #DIV/0! error	Excel displays this error when a number is divided either by zero (0) or by a cell that contains no value. Tip: Add an error handler like in the following example, which is =IF(C2,B2/C2,0)
Correct a #N/A error	Excel displays this error when a value is not available to a function or formula. If you’re using a function like VLOOKUP, does what you’re trying to lookup have a match in the lookup range? Most often it doesn’t. Try using IFERROR to suppress the #N/A. In this case you could use: =IFERROR(VLOOKUP(D2,$D$6:$E$8,2,TRUE),0)
Correct a #NAME? error	This error is displayed when Excel does not recognize text in a formula. For example, a range name or the name of a function may be spelled incorrectly. Note: If you’re using a function, make sure the function name is spelled correctly. In this case SUM is spelled incorrectly. Remove the “e” and Excel will correct it.
Correct a #NULL! error	Excel displays this error when you specify an intersection of two areas that do not intersect (cross). The intersection operator is a space character that separates references in a formula. Note: Make sure your ranges are correctly separated — the areas C2:C3 and E4:E6 do not intersect, so entering the formula =SUM(C2:C3 E4:E6) returns the #NULL! error. Putting a comma between the C and E ranges will correct it =SUM(C2:C3,E4:E6)
Correct a #NUM! error	Excel displays this error when a formula or function contains invalid numeric values. Are you using a function that iterates, such as IRR or RATE? If so, the #NUM! error is probably because the function can’t find a result. Refer to the help topic for resolution steps.
Correct a #REF! error	Excel displays this error when a cell reference is not valid. For example, you may have deleted cells that were referred to by other formulas, or you may have pasted cells that you moved on top of cells that were referred to by other formulas. Did you accidentally delete a row or column? We deleted column B in this formula, =SUM(A2,B2,C2), and look what happened. Either use Undo (Ctrl+Z) to undo the deletion, rebuild the formula, or use a continuous range reference like this: =SUM(A2:C2), which would have automatically updated when column B was deleted.
Correct a #VALUE! error	Excel can display this error if your formula includes cells that contain different data types. Are you using Math operators (+, -, *, /, ^) with different data types? If so, try using a function instead. In this case =SUM(F2:F5) would correct the problem.

When cells are not visible on a worksheet, you can watch those cells and their formulas in the Watch Window toolbar. The Watch Window makes it convenient to inspect, audit, or confirm formula calculations and results in large worksheets. By using the Watch Window, you don’t need to repeatedly scroll or go to different parts of your worksheet.

This toolbar can be moved or docked like any other toolbar. For example, you can dock it on the bottom of the window. The toolbar keeps track of the following cell properties: 1) Workbook, 2) Sheet, 3) Name (if the cell has a corresponding Named Range), 4) Cell address, 5) Value, and 6) Formula.

Note: You can have only one watch per cell.

Add cells to the Watch Window

Select the cells that you want to watch.

To select all cells on a worksheet with formulas, on the Home tab, in the Editing group, click Find & Select (or you can use Ctrl+G, or Control+G on the Mac)> Go To Special > Formulas.
On the Formulas tab, in the Formula Auditing group, click Watch Window.
Click Add Watch.
Confirm that you have selected all of the cells you want to watch and click Add.
To change the width of a Watch Window column, drag the boundary on the right side of the column heading.
To display the cell that an entry in Watch Window toolbar refers to, double-click the entry.

Note: Cells that have external references to other workbooks are displayed in the Watch Window toolbar only when the other workbooks are open.

Remove cells from the Watch Window

If the Watch Window toolbar is not displayed, on the Formulas tab, in the Formula Auditing group, click Watch Window.
Select the cells that you want to remove.

To select multiple cells, press CTRL and then click the cells.
Click Delete Watch.

Sometimes, understanding how a nested formula calculates the final result is difficult because there are several intermediate calculations and logical tests. However, by using the Evaluate Formula dialog box, you can see the different parts of a nested formula evaluated in the order the formula is calculated. For example, the formula =IF(AVERAGE(D2:D5)>50,SUM(E2:E5),0)is easier to understand when you can see the following intermediate results:

In the Evaluate Formula dialog box	Description
=IF(AVERAGE(D2:D5)>50,SUM(E2:E5),0)	The nested formula is initially displayed. The AVERAGE function and the SUM function are nested within the IF function. The cell range D2:D5 contains the values 55, 35, 45, and 25, and so the result of the AVERAGE(D2:D5) function is 40.
=IF(40>50,SUM(E2:E5),0)	The cell range D2:D5 contains the values 55, 35, 45, and 25, and so the result of the AVERAGE(D2:D5) function is 40.
=IF(False,SUM(E2:E5),0)	Because 40 is not greater than 50, the expression in the first argument of the IF function (the logical_test argument) is False. The IF function returns the value of the third argument (the value_if_false argument). The SUM function is not evaluated because it is the second argument to the IF function (value_if_true argument), and it is returned only when the expression is True.

Select the cell that you want to evaluate. Only one cell can be evaluated at a time.
Select the Formulas tab > Formula Auditing > Evaluate Formula.
Click Evaluate to examine the value of the underlined reference. The result of the evaluation is shown in italics.

If the underlined part of the formula is a reference to another formula, click Step In to display the other formula in the Evaluation box. Click Step Out to go back to the previous cell and formula.

The Step In button is not available for a reference the second time the reference appears in the formula, or if the formula refers to a cell in a separate workbook.
Continue clicking Evaluate until each part of the formula has been evaluated.
To see the evaluation again, click Restart.
To end the evaluation, click Close.

Notes:

Some parts of formulas that use the IF and CHOOSE functions are not evaluated — in these cases, #N/A is displayed in the Evaluation box.
If a reference is blank, a zero value (0) is displayed in the Evaluation box.
The following functions are recalculated each time the worksheet changes, and can cause the Evaluate Formula dialog box to give results different from what appears in the cell: RAND, AREAS, INDEX, OFFSET, CELL, INDIRECT, ROWS, COLUMNS, NOW, TODAY, RANDBETWEEN.

Need more help?

You can always ask an expert in the Excel Tech Community or get support in the Answers community.

Searching of errors in Excel by the formula

To determine of position an error location in a table with big amount of rows and columns, we recommend to take advantage of the special formula. For example we show the formula, that can easily works with large ranges of cells, within A1:Z100.

To determining to the localization of the first error on the sheet concerning of the rows, you should use to the following:

This should be executed in an array, so after entering it, you need to press to the combination of hot keys: CTRL + SHIFT + Enter. If everything is done correctly, in the formula line will be appear the curly brackets appear, as you can see in the picture.

errors.

The table with large amount of data contains to errors, the first of which is in the range of the third line of the sheet 3:3.

How to get the address of the cell with an error?

Based on the result of calculating this formula you can create to another formula that does not just define to a row or a column, but will indicate the immediate address of the error on the Excel sheet. To solve this problem below (in the cell AB 3), you need to enter to another:

This should also be executed in the array, so after entering it again, you need to press CTRL + SHIFT + Enter to confirm. The result of calculating of the local address of the cell that contains the first error in the table:

The principle of the search for error:

In the first argument of the ADDRESS function you need to specify to the line number that must be returned in the cell address, containing to the result of the action of the whole formula. The line number is defined by the previous formula and is the number 3. Therefore we only refer to the cell AB2 with the first formula. Next, using the function INDIRECT, the reference is made to the range that must be found in accordance with the location of the errors.

It is not necessary to perform to the searching on the whole table, thus loading to the processor of the computer and unnecessarily taking away the computational resources of the Excel program. We are only interested in the third line.

With helping of the ISERROR function, each of the cell in the A3:Z3 range is checked for errors. On the basis of the results obtained in an array, is created in the program memory of the logical values TRUE and FALSE. The next COLUMN function returns to the program memory to the second array of the column numbers with the numbers of elements, which corresponding to the number of columns in the range A3:Z3.

Download example find an errors in Excel

Thanks to the IF function in the first array, the logical value TRUE is replaced by the corresponding numeric value from the second array. After that, the MIN function selects the smallest numerical value of the first array, which corresponds to the number of the column, containing to the first error. Since we calculated to the row and column numbers, the calculation of the formula with the ADDRESS function is completed. It already returns by the text value for the finished cell address, which are based on the column number and the string specified in its arguments.

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This tutorial demonstrates how to find errors in Excel.

Find Errors

In Excel, you may have the need to find errors and select them in order to delete or change their cells’ contents. This can be time-consuming to do manually if there are too many cells with errors. Consider the example pictured below, a list of values in Column B that includes various errors.

To select cells with different kinds of errors (for this example, cells B3, B4, B7, and B10) at once, follow these steps:

In the Ribbon, go to Home > Find & Select > Go To Special.

In the Go To Special window, select Formulas, check Errors (all the other options should be unchecked), and click OK.

As a result, all cells that contain errors in a single sheet are selected.

IFERROR function

You can use the IFERROR function to trap and handle errors in a formula. IFERROR returns a value you specify if a formula evaluates to an error; otherwise, it returns the result of the formula.

Syntax

The IFERROR function syntax has the following arguments:

value Required. The argument that is checked for an error.

value_if_error Required. The value to return if the formula evaluates to an error. The following error types are evaluated: #N/A, #VALUE!, #REF!, #DIV/0!, #NUM!, #NAME?, or #NULL!.

If value or value_if_error is an empty cell, IFERROR treats it as an empty string value («»).

If value is an array formula, IFERROR returns an array of results for each cell in the range specified in value. See the second example below.

Examples

Copy the example data in the following table, and paste it in cell A1 of a new Excel worksheet. For formulas to show results, select them, press F2, and then press Enter.

=IFERROR(A2/B2, «Error in calculation»)

Checks for an error in the formula in the first argument (divide 210 by 35), finds no error, and then returns the results of the formula

=IFERROR(A3/B3, «Error in calculation»)

Checks for an error in the formula in the first argument (divide 55 by 0), finds a division by 0 error, and then returns value_if_error

Error in calculation

=IFERROR(A4/B4, «Error in calculation»)

Checks for an error in the formula in the first argument (divide «» by 23), finds no error, and then returns the results of the formula.

Example 2

Error in calculation

Checks for an error in the formula in the first argument in the first element of the array (A2/B2 or divide 210 by 35), finds no error, and then returns the result of the formula

Checks for an error in the formula in the first argument in the second element of the array (A3/B3 or divide 55 by 0), finds a division by 0 error, and then returns value_if_error

Error in calculation

Checks for an error in the formula in the first argument in the third element of the array (A4/B4 or divide «» by 23), finds no error, and then returns the result of the formula

Note: If you have a current version of Microsoft 365, then you can input the formula in the top-left-cell of the output range, then press ENTER to confirm the formula as a dynamic array formula. Otherwise, the formula must be entered as a legacy array formula by first selecting the output range, input the formula in the top-left-cell of the output range, then press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER to confirm it. Excel inserts curly brackets at the beginning and end of the formula for you. For more information on array formulas, see Guidelines and examples of array formulas.

Need more help?

You can always ask an expert in the Excel Tech Community or get support in the Answers community.

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Detect errors in formulas

Note: This topic contains techniques that can help you correct formula errors. It is not an exhaustive list of methods for correcting every possible formula error. For help on specific errors, you can search for questions like yours in the Excel Community Forum, or post one of your own.

Learn how to enter a simple formula

Formulas are equations that perform calculations on values in your worksheet. A formula starts with an equal sign (=). For example, the following formula adds 3 to 1.

A formula can also contain any or all of the following: functions, references, operators, and constants.

Parts of a formula

Functions: included with Excel, functions are engineered formulas that carry out specific calculations. For example, the PI() function returns the value of pi: 3.142.

References: refer to individual cells or ranges of cells. A2 returns the value in cell A2.

Constants: numbers or text values entered directly into a formula, such as 2.

Operators: The ^ (caret) operator raises a number to a power, and the * (asterisk) operator multiplies. Use + and – add and subtract values, and / to divide.

Note: Some functions require what are referred to as arguments. Arguments are the values that certain functions use to perform their calculations. When required, arguments are placed between the function’s parentheses (). The PI function does not require any arguments, which is why it’s blank. Some functions require one or more arguments, and can leave room for additional arguments. You need to use a comma to separate arguments, or a semi-colon (;) depending on your location settings.

The SUM function for example, requires only one argument, but can accommodate 255 total arguments.

=SUM(A1:A10) is an example of a single argument.

=SUM(A1:A10, C1:C10) is an example of multiple arguments.

The following table summarizes some of the most common errors that a user can make when entering a formula, and explains how to correct them.

Make sure that you

Start every function with the equal sign (=)

If you omit the equal sign, what you type may be displayed as text or as a date. For example, if you type SUM(A1:A10), Excel displays the text string SUM(A1:A10) and does not perform the calculation. If you type 11/2, Excel displays the date 2-Nov (assuming the cell format is General) instead of dividing 11 by 2.

Match all open and closing parentheses

Make sure that all parentheses are part of a matching pair (opening and closing). When you use a function in a formula, it is important for each parenthesis to be in its correct position for the function to work correctly. For example, the formula =IF(B5 =IF(B5 Use a colon to indicate a range

When you refer to a range of cells, use a colon (:) to separate the reference to the first cell in the range and the reference to the last cell in the range. For example, =SUM(A1:A5), not =SUM(A1 A5), which would return a #NULL! Error.

Enter all required arguments

Some functions have required arguments. Also, make sure that you have not entered too many arguments.

Enter the correct type of arguments

Some functions, such as SUM, require numerical arguments. Other functions, such as REPLACE, require a text value for at least one of their arguments. If you use the wrong type of data as an argument, Excel may return unexpected results or display an error.

Nest no more than 64 functions

You can enter, or nest, no more than 64 levels of functions within a function.

Enclose other sheet names in single quotation marks

If a formula refers to values or cells on other worksheets or workbooks, and the name of the other workbook or worksheet contains spaces or non-alphabetical characters, you must enclose its name within single quotation marks ( ‘ ), like =’Quarterly Data’!D3, or =‘123’!A1.

Place an exclamation point (!) after a worksheet name when you refer to it in a formula

For example, to return the value from cell D3 in a worksheet named Quarterly Data in the same workbook, use this formula: =’Quarterly Data’!D3.

Include the path to external workbooks

Make sure that each external reference contains a workbook name and the path to the workbook.

A reference to a workbook includes the name of the workbook and must be enclosed in brackets ([ Workbookname.xlsx]). The reference must also contain the name of the worksheet in the workbook.

If the workbook that you want to refer to is not open in Excel, you can still include a reference to it in a formula. You provide the full path to the file, such as in the following example: =ROWS(‘C:My Documents[Q2 Operations.xlsx]Sales’!A1:A8). This formula returns the number of rows in the range that includes cells A1 through A8 in the other workbook (8).

Note: If the full path contains space characters, as does the preceding example, you must enclose the path in single quotation marks (at the beginning of the path and after the name of the worksheet, before the exclamation point).

Enter numbers without formatting

Do not format numbers when you enter them in formulas. For example, if the value that you want to enter is $1,000, enter 1000 in the formula. If you enter a comma as part of a number, Excel treats it as a separator character. If you want numbers displayed so that they show thousands or millions separators, or currency symbols, format the cells after you enter the numbers.

For example, if you want to add 3100 to the value in cell A3, and you enter the formula =SUM(3,100,A3), Excel adds the numbers 3 and 100 and then adds that total to the value from A3, instead of adding 3100 to A3 which would be =SUM(3100,A3). Or, if you enter the formula =ABS(-2,134), Excel displays an error because the ABS function accepts only one argument: =ABS(-2134).

Errors can be marked and corrected in two ways: one error at a time (like a spell checker), or immediately when they occur on the worksheet as you enter data.

You can resolve an error by using the options that Excel displays, or you can ignore the error by clicking Ignore Error. If you ignore an error in a particular cell, the error in that cell does not appear in further error checks. However, you can reset all previously ignored errors so that they appear again.

For Excel on Windows, Click File > Options > Formulas, or
for Excel on Mac, click the Excel menu > Preferences > Error Checking.

In Excel 2007, click the Microsoft Office button > Excel Options > Formulas.

Under Error Checking, check Enable background error checking. Any error that is found, will be marked with a triangle in the top-left corner of the cell.

To change the color of the triangle that marks where an error occurs, in the Indicate errors using this color box, select the color that you want.

Under Excel checking rules, select or clear the check boxes of any of the following rules:

Cells containing formulas that result in an error: A formula does not use the expected syntax, arguments, or data types. Error values include #DIV/0!, #N/A, #NAME?, #NULL!, #NUM!, #REF!, and #VALUE!. Each of these error values have different causes and are resolved in different ways.

Note: If you enter an error value directly in a cell, it is stored as that error value but is not marked as an error. However, if a formula in another cell refers to that cell, the formula returns the error value from that cell.

Inconsistent calculated column formula in tables: A calculated column can include individual formulas that are different from the master column formula, which creates an exception. Calculated column exceptions are created when you do any of the following:

Type data other than a formula in a calculated column cell.

Type a formula in a calculated column cell, and then use Ctrl +Z or click Undo on the Quick Access Toolbar.

Type a new formula in a calculated column that already contains one or more exceptions.

Copy data into the calculated column that does not match the calculated column formula. If the copied data contains a formula, this formula overwrites the data in the calculated column.

Move or delete a cell on another worksheet area that is referenced by one of the rows in a calculated column.

Cells containing years represented as 2 digits: The cell contains a text date that can be misinterpreted as the wrong century when it is used in formulas. For example, the date in the formula =YEAR(«1/1/31») could be 1931 or 2031. Use this rule to check for ambiguous text dates.

Numbers formatted as text or preceded by an apostrophe: The cell contains numbers stored as text. This typically occurs when data is imported from other sources. Numbers that are stored as text can cause unexpected sorting results, so it is best to convert them to numbers. ‘=SUM(A1:A10) is seen as text.

Formulas inconsistent with other formulas in the region: The formula does not match the pattern of other formulas near it. In many cases, formulas that are adjacent to other formulas differ only in the references used. In the following example of four adjacent formulas, Excel displays an error next to the formula =SUM(A10:C10) in cell D4 because the adjacent formulas increment by one row, and that one increments by 8 rows — Excel expects the formula =SUM(A4:C4).

If the references that are used in a formula are not consistent with those in the adjacent formulas, Excel displays an error.

Formulas which omit cells in a region: A formula may not automatically include references to data that you insert between the original range of data and the cell that contains the formula. This rule compares the reference in a formula against the actual range of cells that is adjacent to the cell that contains the formula. If the adjacent cells contain additional values and are not blank, Excel displays an error next to the formula.

For example, Excel inserts an error next to the formula =SUM(D2:D4) when this rule is applied, because cells D5, D6, and D7 are adjacent to the cells that are referenced in the formula and the cell that contains the formula (D8), and those cells contain data that should have been referenced in the formula.

Unlocked cells containing formulas: The formula is not locked for protection. By default, all cells on a worksheet are locked so they can’t be changed when the worksheet is protected. This can help avoid inadvertent mistakes like accidentally deleting or altering formulas. This error indicates that the cell has been set to be unlocked, but the sheet has not been protected. Check to make sure that you do not want the cell locked or not.

Formulas referring to empty cells: The formula contains a reference to an empty cell. This can cause unintended results, as shown in the following example.

Suppose you want to calculate the average of the numbers in the following column of cells. If the third cell is blank, it is not included in the calculation and the result is 22.75. If the third cell contains 0, the result is 18.2.

Data entered in a table is invalid: There is a validation error in a table. Check the validation setting for the cell by going to the Data tab > Data Tools group > Data Validation.

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Most people use spreadsheets software such as Microsoft Excel to process their data and carry out their analysis tasks.

When performing an analysis of data, a number of statistical metrics come into play. Some of these include the means, the medians, standard deviations, and standard errors. These metrics help in understanding the true nature of the data.

In this article, I will show you two ways to calculate the Standard Error in Excel.

One of the methods involves using a formula and the other involves using a Data Analytics Tool Pack that usually comes with every copy of Excel.

So let’s get started!

What is Standard Error?

When working with real-world data, it is often not possible to work with data of the entire population. So we usually take random samples from the population and work with them.

The standard error of a sample tells how accurate its mean is in terms of the true population mean.

In other words, the standard error of a sample is its standard deviation from the population mean.

This helps analyze how accurately your sample’s mean represents the true population. It also helps analyze the amount of dispersion or variation between your different data samples.

How is Standard Error Calculated?

The Standard Error for a sample is usually calculated using the formula:

In this above formula:

SE is Standard Error
σ represents the Standard deviation of the sample
n represents the sample size.

How to Find the Standard Error in Excel Using a Formula

Unfortunately, unlike the Standard Deviation, Excel does not have a built-in formula to calculate the Standard Error, at least not at the time of writing this tutorial.

However, you could use the above formula to easily and quickly calculate the standard error. Here are the steps you need to follow:

Click on the cell where you want the Standard Error to appear and click on the formula bar next to the fx symbol just below your toolbar.
Type the symbol ‘=’ in the formula bar. And type: =STDEV(
Drag and select the range of cells that are part of your sample data. This will add the location of the range in your formula. So, if your sample data is in cells B2 to B14, you will see: =STDEV(B2:B14 in the formula bar.
Close the bracket for the STDEV formula. So far, you have used the STDEV function to find the Standard deviation of your sample data.
Next, we want to divide this Standard deviation by the square root of the sample size. So let’s continue with our formula. Click on the formula bar after the closing brackets of the STDEV formula and add a ‘/’ symbol to indicate that you want to divide the result of the STDEV function. So your formula so far is: =STDEV(B2:B14)/
To find the square root of a number, we use the SQRT formula. So next, type SQRT(. Your formula bar will now have the formula: =STDEV(B2:B14)/SQRT(
Finally, you want the sample size. For this, you need to use the COUNT function. So, type COUNT( after what you already have in your formula bar. Again, drag and select the range of cells that are part of your sample data and close the bracket for the COUNT formula. This will give you the number of cells in your selected range.
Close the bracket for the SQRT function too. So your final formula should look like this: =STDEV(B2:B14)/SQRT(COUNT(B2:B14)) Notice there are two closing braces in the end. One is for the COUNT function, the other is for the SQRT function.
That’s it! Press the return key on your keyboard and you got your sample’s Standard Error!

To find the Standard errors for the other samples, you can apply the same formula to these samples too.

If your samples are placed in columns adjacent to one another (as shown in the above image), you only need to drag the fill handle (located at the bottom left corner of your calculated cell) to the right.

This will copy the same formula to all the other cells on the right, and you will get standard errors for each of your samples!

Also read: How to Calculate Variance in Excel?

How to Find the Standard Error in Excel Using the Data Analysis Toolpak

If you’re not in the mood to type complex formulae, there’s an easier way to find not just the Standard error, but practically all the statistical metrics you might need to analyze your sample data.

For this, you will need to install the Data Analysis Toolpak. This package gives you access to a variety of statistical functions, which include correlation functions, z-test, and t-test functions too.

Once you install the package, you can use the tool whenever you need to analyze data, without having to re-install it each time.

The Data Analysis Toolpak is free to use and comes along with your Excel package, but for simplicity, it does not appear in your standard toolbar. You need to activate it in order for it to be added to your toolbar.

The process of activating it is quite simple. Just follow these steps to install and activate your Data Analysis Toolpak:

Click the File tab and click on Options. This will open the Options window for you.
From here, click “Add-ins” from the left sidebar.
From the list of Add-ins, select Analysis ToolPak.
At the bottom of the window, click on the ‘Go’ button just next to Manage: Add-ins.
Click the checkmark for Analysis ToolPak and click OK.

With this, your Data Analysis Toolpak will get added to your Excel Toolbar. When you click the Excel ‘Data’ tab, you should find a tool named “Data Analysis” at the far right of the Data toolbar (under the ‘Analysis’ group).

Now, to find out your Standard Error and other Statistical metrics, do the following:

Click on the Data Analysis tool under the Data tab. This will open the Analysis Tools dialog box.
Select “Descriptive Statistics” from the list on the left of the dialog box and click OK.
Enter the location of the range of cells that contain your sample data into the “Input Range” box. You can also choose to drag and select the range of cells that you need too. If you have data for more than one sample arranged in adjacent columns, you can select the data in all the columns. You will get your results separately for each column.
If your data has column headers, check the “Labels in first row” box.
Select where you want your results to be displayed. It is safer to select “New Worksheet”. This will ensure that the details get displayed on a newly created worksheet, and will not disturb any data on your current worksheet.
Select the checkbox next to “Summary Statistics” and click OK.

This will display all your analytical metrics in a new worksheet.

These metrics will also include the Standard Error for your selected sample data. If you had selected multiple data sets in multiple columns, you will get analytics for each column separately.

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed two ways in which you can find the Standard error for your sample data.

You can either create a formula to calculate it or use a data analytics tool, like the Data Analysis Toolpak that comes with Excel.

Either way, you will be able to use the Standard error information to analyze your sample data for further processing.

Hope you found this Excel tutorial useful!

Other Excel tutorials you may find useful:

How to Convert Decimal to Fraction in Excel
How to Square a Number in Excel
How to Subtract Multiple Cells from One Cell in Excel
How to Find Range in Excel
How to Find Outliers in Excel
How to Calculate IRR with Excel
How to Calculate NPV in Excel (Net Present Value)
How to Calculate Confidence Interval in Excel
How to Get the p-Value in Excel?
How to Find Z-score in Excel?
How to Calculate Percentage Difference in Excel
Calculate the Coefficient of Variation in Excel
How to Calculate Mean Squared Error (MSE) in Excel?

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Introduction to Errors in Excel

Like any other software, Excel often produces errors; however, Excel’s errors are often the user’s errors in inserting the data or asking Excel to do something that cannot be done. So when we see that Excel is giving an error, we must correct the error instead of using the error handling functions to mask the error.

Excel errors are not just errors; they are also a source of information about what is wrong with the function or the command set for the execution.

Errors in Excel (Table of Contents)

Introduction to Errors in Excel
Examples of Errors in Excel
Explanations of Errors in Excel
How to Correct Errors in Excel?

Errors occur when we insert some formula in Excel and miss adding the required input in the expected forms, suppose we have inserted a function to add two cells, then Excel expects that the cells would have numbers. If either of the cells has text, it will give an error. Every Excel function comes with its terms and conditions, and if any of the requirements of the function are voided, then there are Excel errors. Every function has a syntax, which must be properly complied with, and if any deviation is observed in entering the syntax, then there will be an Excel error.

Understanding Excel errors are important same as understanding the functions. These displayed errors tell us a lot of things. With a proper understanding of Excel errors, one can quickly solve those errors.

Errors

Types of Errors in Excel (Examples)

1 – “#Name?” error.

2 – “#div/0!” error.

3 – “#NULL!” error.

4 – “N/A” error.

5 – “#Value!” error.

6 – “#NUM!” error.

Explanations of Errors in Excel

Excel errors shown in the above examples are of different types and occur for other reasons. Hence, this becomes important to identify the main cause behind the error to correct the error quickly.

The error of “#Name?” is because the typed formula is incorrect. For example, entering =su(A1:A2) instead of =Sum(A1:A2) will give the error “#Name?” and if we ask Excel to divide any number by zero, we will get the error of “DIV/0!”.

Similarly, the “#NULL!” happens if the user enters an incorrect range operator-like space instead of using “:”.

The error of “#N/A” appears if we have any lookup function to search for any value that does not exist in the data. Hence “#N/A” is returned.

“#VALUE!” happens because of giving a reference that is invalid or not supposed to be referred to. If we use the sum function, then Excel assumes that we will reference cells with a numeric entry in those cells. If we have given a reference of cells with text, we will get “#Value!”

The “#NUM!” error happens when the displayed result is something that is not valid. Suppose we have entered a function to multiply 999999999999 with 999999999999999, then the resulting number will be so long that it will not be accurate, and we will get the “#NUM!” error.

How to Correct Errors in Excel?

Errors in Excel are elementary to correct. Let’s understand how to Correct Errors with some Examples.

You can download this Errors Excel Template here – Errors Excel Template

Excel errors can be corrected in three ways, as below.

By identifying the cause of an error and correcting that.
By masking the error with error handling functions to display a result.

In the first method, the error is corrected from the source, but in the second option, the error exists; however, the error is masked with some other value using error handling functions.

By evaluating the formula.

Method #1- Identifying the cause of the error and correcting that.

Step 1: Go to the cell with an error function.

Step 2: Click on the little warning sign displayed on the cell’s left-hand side.

Step 3: Check what error happened.

Step 4: Try to get help from the inbuilt data.

Step 5: After checking what kind of error has happened, correct the error from the source, and the error will be solved.

Correcting errors when we see the below error codes.

#NAME?: This error happens if the formula is incorrectly typed.

#DIV/0!: This error happens if a value is asked to divide by zero.

#REF!: This error will happen in case of missing reference.

#NULL!: This happens in case we have used invalid range delimiters.

#N/A: When the searched value is not in the data from where it is searched.

###### error: This is not an error; the resulting length is more than the width of the column.

#VALUE!: This happens when the value of the two cells is not the same, and we operate some mathematical functions.

#NUM!: This happens if the resulting value is invalid.

Method #2 – Masking the error using error handling functions.

Step 1: Go to the cell with an error function.

Step 2: Click on the little warning sign on the cell’s left side.

Step 3: Select the option of “Edit in formula bar.”

Step 4: Now choose an error handling function such as “IFERROR” and insert that before the actual formula, and this function will display some value instead of showing an error.

By adding IFERROR Function before the actual formula then, it displays the values instead of showing an error.

Method #3 – Evaluating the Formula

If we use nested formulas with an error, then the complete formula will give an error.

This is the Image that contains errors.

Step 1: Click on the cell that has an error.

From the ribbon, click on the “Formulas” option.

Step 2: Click on Evaluate formula option.

Step 3: Click on Evaluate.

Step 4: Keep clicking on evaluate formula until we get the function that is causing the error.

Step 5: Correct the formula that is creating an error.

After correcting the formula, we get the correct answer.

Drag the formula by using Ctrl + D.

Step 6:The error will be fixed.

Things to Remember

Not all the errors that are displayed are true errors. Some of them are false errors displayed only because of formatting issues. Such as, the error sign “###” means that the width of columns needs to be increased.
Errors can only be resolved if the function’s required syntax is followed.
Every error that occurs has a different solution and needs different error-handling functions.
If we are unsure about what type of error has happened, we can use the inbuilt function of excel, which is “= Error.type” to identify the error type.
The most critical error of excel is “#REF,” In this case, the reference of a cell cannot be identified, and such errors should be avoided only by working more carefully.
To solve errors in the case of nested excel formulas, we prefer to enter one function at a time to know what function has an error.

Table of contents

Find and Handle Errors in Excel

Example #1 – Error Handling through Error Handler

Example #2 – Formulas Error Handling

Things to Remember

Recommended Articles

Learn how to enter a simple formula

Need more help?

See Also

Need more help?

Want more options?

Searching of errors in Excel by the formula

How to get the address of the cell with an error?

Find Errors

See also

IFERROR function

Syntax

Examples

Example 2

Need more help?

Detect errors in formulas

Learn how to enter a simple formula

What is Standard Error?

How is Standard Error Calculated?

How to Find the Standard Error in Excel Using a Formula

How to Find the Standard Error in Excel Using the Data Analysis Toolpak

Conclusion

Introduction to Errors in Excel

Types of Errors in Excel (Examples)

1 – “#Name?” error.

2 – “#div/0!” error.

3 – “#NULL!” error.

4 – “N/A” error.

5 – “#Value!” error.

6 – “#NUM!” error.

Explanations of Errors in Excel

How to Correct Errors in Excel?

Method #1- Identifying the cause of the error and correcting that.

Method #2 – Masking the error using error handling functions.

Method #3 – Evaluating the Formula

Things to Remember

Recommended Articles