Imagine carefully creating a workbook with several calculations and formulas only see errors. What to do when you get an Excel formula error? Of course, you can shake your head and ask, “Why, why would you do that?”, but that will not help.
So in this article let’s learn how to fix Excel formula error. Those annoying #SOMETHING!s that you see when your excel formulas have something wrong with them.
Excel Formula Error Checklist
Use this checklist to quickly understand common formula errors, what they mean, when you would see them and how to fix them. Read on to know more about the errors.
| Error | What it means? | Most common reason | How to fix it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| #N/A | Not Applicable | When VLLOKUP can't find what you want | Make sure your list has the value you are looking for. Use IFERROR or IFNA to fix |
| #DIV/0! | Divide by Zero | Denominator is zero | Use IF formula to safe divide |
| #NAME? | Could not find the name | Spelling mistake / typo | Double check your formula and fix the error |
| ######### | Could not display or format | Cell too small | Adjust column width |
| #VALUE! | Invalid value | Converting non-dates or numbers | Make sure your dates are correctly formatted |
| #REF! | Reference missing | When you delete a row / column / cell | Check cell dependancies before deleting |
| #NUM! | Invalid number | Number too high or too low | Check your calculation |
| #NULL! | Missing or null value | Reference points to nothing | See if your references are right |
#N/A Formula Error
This is one of the most frequent excel formula error you see while using vlookup formula. The N/A error is shown when some data is missing, or inappropriate arguments are passed to the lookup functions (vlookup, hlookup etc.) of if the list is not sorted and you are trying to lookup using sort option. You can also generate a #N/A error by writing =NA() in a cell.
How to fix #N/A error?
Make sure you wrap the lookup functions with some error handling mechanism. For eg. if you are not sure the value you are looking is available, you can write something like =IFERROR(VLOOKUP(…), “Value not found”). This will print “value not found” whenever the vlookup returns any error (including #N/A)
Related: Learn more about IFERROR formula
#DIV/0! Formula Error
This is the easiest of all. When you divide something with 0, you see this error. For eg. a cell with the formula =23/0 would return in this error.
How to fix #DIV/0 error?
Simple, use IF formula to safe divide, like this:
=IF(A2=0, “”, A1/A2)
#NAME? Formula Error
The most common reason why you see this error is because you misspelled a formula or table or named range. For eg. if you write =summa(a1:a10) in a cell, it would return #NAME? error. There are few other reasons why this can happen. If you forget to close a text in double quotes or omit the range operator :. All these examples should return #NAME? error. =sum(range1, UNDEFIED_RANGE_NAME), =sum(a1a10)
How to fix #NAME? Error?
- Make sure you have mentioned the correct formula name. Use auto-complete when typing formulas. This way, when you type formulas or use names / structural references, you will not make any mistakes.
- Make sure you have defined all the tables and named ranges you are using in the formula.
- Make sure any user defined functions you are using are properly installed.
- Double check the ranges and string parameters in your formulas.
###### Error
You see a cell full of # symbols when the contents cannot fit in the cell. For eg. a long number like 2339432094394 entered in a small cell will show ####s. Also, you see the ###### when you format negative numbers as dates.
How to fix the ###### error?
Simple, adjust the column width. And if the error is due to negative dates, make them positive.
#VALUE! Excel Formula Error
Value error is shown when you use text parameters to a function that accepts numbers. For eg. the formula =SUM(“ab”,”cd”) returns #VALUE! error.
How to fix the #VALUE! error?
Make sure your formula parameters have correct data types. If you are using functions that work on numbers (like sum, sumproduct etc.) then the parameters should be numbers.
#REF! Formula Error
This is one of the most common error messages you see when you fiddle with a worksheet full of formulas. You get #REF! Excel formula error when one of the formula parameters is pointing to an invalid range. This can happen because you deleted the cells. For eg. try to write a sum forumla like =SUM(A1:A10, B1:B10, C1:C10) and then delete the column C. Immediately the sum formula returns #REF! error.
How to fix the #REF! error?
First press ctrl+Z and undo the actions you have performed. And then rethink if there is a better way to write the formula or perform the action (deleting cells).
#NUM! Excel Error
This is number error that you see when your formula returns a value bigger than what excel can represent. You will also get this error if you are using iterative functions like IRR and the function cannot find any result. For eg. the formula =4389^7E+37 returns a #NUM! error.
How to fix #NUM! error?
Simple, make your numbers smaller or provide right starting values to your iterative formulas.
#NULL! Formula Error
This is rare error. When you use incorrect range operators often you get this error. For eg. the formula =SUM(D30:D32 C31:C33) returns a #NULL! error because there is no overlap between range 1 and range2.
How to fix the #NULL! error?
Make sure you have mentioned the ranges properly.
Formula not working – showing as text?
If you don’t see any error, but instead of seeing the result, all you see is your formula (like below), then check out Formulas not working page for information how to fix the problem.
Further Reading on Excel Formula Debugging
Formula Debugging using F9 Key
Learn to work with Circular References
Understand the difference between absolute and relative references
How to work with tables & structural references
Detect errors in your formulas [Office.com]
How to use new ERROR.TYPE formula to work with errors
Tell me how you debug formulas? What is the most common error you get?
What is the strangest and most confusing error you have seen? Please share in the comments so we can all have a laugh and find a way to fix the problem.
28 Responses to “Team To Do Lists – Project Tracking Tools using Excel [Part 2 of 6]”
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools Part 3: Preparing a project time line [upcoming] Part 4: Time sheets and Resource management [...]
the templates are great (I bought the combo).
What I'm missing is a way to have the project gantt chart and reporting with the data per resource, in such a way that I can also show the occupation per resource on an extended gantt chart.
So with hours entered per person per project or sub-activity, to show a gantt chart of how many hours/days a person spent on which project (or plans to spend).
[...] from: Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools using Excel [Part 2 of 6] 25 Jun 09 | [...]
Hi Chandoo,
Funny I have a post on the value of MS project lined up which I will post when the current monster project I'm working on finishes and I get some free time!
I'm not sure this would help with any of the projects I've worked on, closing down a to do list seems like more effort than it's worth, but it might be useful for some things. I guessing it doesn't, but does the time stamp not update when you recalculate the work book?
keep up the good work!
Ross
@Ross.. Thanks for sharing your ideas... I think to do lists are a great way to keep up with project activities and ensure accountability from individual team members, when they are implemented right.
"I guessing it doesn’t, but does the time stamp not update when you recalculate the work book?"
Your guess is right. When you change the calculation mode to "iterative", excel takes care of the nittygritties and retains older values in circular references in formulas.
[...] Project Management in Excel [New Series] - Gantt Charts | To Do Lists [...]
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools Project Status Reporting - Create a Timeline to display milestones Part 4: Time sheets and Resource [...]
Hi Chandoo,
The template give me lot of convenience to monitor the thing to do. It simple. Thank You
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists - Project Tracking Tools Project Status Reporting - Create a Timeline to display milestones Part 4: Time sheets and Resource [...]
[...] make sure you have read the first 4 parts of the series - Making gantt charts [project planning], team todo lists [project tracking], project time lines chart [reporting] and Timesheets and Resource Management using Excel. Also [...]
Chandoo,
I really do not see any befit to this function in Excel unless it was somehow tied into some other chart. That is say a scheduled activities % complete is based on the to-do list.
The only way this chart would be useful is if no one was assigned none dependent task that could be done by anyone. The cases were both of these conditions are true are so few and far between it really makes this chart worthless.
@Brian... Once you have a todo list up and running, it is easy to get metrics out of it. I didnt propose it as it might look a bit too micro-management-ish.
I am able to understand what you meant by "The only way this chart would be useful is if no one was assigned none dependent task that could be done by anyone. The cases were both of these conditions are true are so few and far between it really makes this chart worthless."
Can you explain?
"Chandoo"
What I mean is this. Lets say you have 10 task which are part of one activity/WBS that is in your schedule. One there are very few cases were many people would be assigned to complete this one scheduled activity with no direction being given who should what of the 10 task. It is poor management, and the task 90% of the time would not get done in a timely manner if say 4 people were responsible. Secondly, you are assuming all 10 task are independent of each other. You might need to do task 1 thru 3 before you can do task 4, and to do task 7 you might need to do 4 and 6. Thirdly, the time it would take to compile and then fill out the to-do-list even in limited applications is really not worth it.
I just see almost no applications why a team would need to inform others separate from the schedule that they have completed a task on a to-do list unless anyone of the 4 people could of completed that task.
My point is, there might be a few very limited applications for this type of list but this list would be worthless as a Project Management tool in every other case.
However, change this from a to-do-list to a document change log and it is perfect. Instead of to-do it is the documents name or summary of what changed in the document. The person is who edited the document, and the time stamp is when they checked it in. But I do not know why you would use excel when there is free software you can use commercially that is 10 times better that does document management.
I think using excel to do Project Management over a real Project Management application is a bad idea. Unless you are running a very small, simple project, the time and effort is a lot more to use excel compared to the cost of the Project Management software.
This comes back to my point, I love your site, however, just because you can do something in excel does not mean you should do it. To often the time it takes to use excel is wasted 10 times over from the cost of doing it in an application designed to for the specific application.
@Brian: The todo list mentioned here is meant to keep track of all the tasks for which detailed planning is not necessary but some sort of tracking is needed. These are not be confused with project activities (a la gantt chart).
I like your suggestion about using this as a document tracker. Pretty cool use.
Coming to your point about excel as a real project management tool, well, I have my views, but in a serious project environment, it would surely payoff to have a dedicated project management application.
[...] & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Team To Do Lists – Project Tracking Tools Project Status Reporting – Create a Timeline to display milestones Time sheets and Resource [...]
Chandoo,
Wonder how the timestamp column will maintain its previous data. Both Today() and Now() functions will update as and when the next timestamp happens.
[...] Preparing & tracking a project plan using Gantt Charts Part2: Team To Do Lists – Project Tracking Tools Part3: Project Status Reporting – Create a Timeline to display milestones Part4: Time sheets and [...]
I've combined this with the issue tracker since I like the automatic date stamp, but one thing I'm noticing is that I can't replicate the chart that goes along with the issue tracker because the cells that are referenced have the formula that inserts the time stamp instead of a the actual date value. All the dates of the last 30 days display 0 when they should have a value.
Is there a way around this?
I have edited the chart so that my team members can update the percentage completion of the assigned tasks. When the cell is updated, i would like the time stamp to update. How would I manipulate the formula to update whenever the drop-down list is changed?
[...] … ??? To Do List [...]
Excel is great however sometimes you need to get a better idea of what tasks each person on your team is working on at any given time. We've developed a web app that can do just that! Each person has a list of tasks, listed in the order they have to complete them.
HII,
I want to expand the database through excel where i am working on 11 cities as of now and i want to expand it upto 50 cities and hence forth the data related to it will also expand so i want to make it precise where i can get updates also that this work is required to be done at that particular day or date
Thanks for making all of this information available for free. I am currently using excel to track everything for the first time. I later plan to output our information here with a more visual presentation. Wish me luck!
Can some one point me out to some additional direction on the "Who Finished it?" column? Something more 'basic' for a newbie excel guy? lol I got everything else working on this tutorial but that column. I can't seem to recreate it and I know a lot of it is due to lack of knowledge with VB code. I'd like to recreate this column very much 🙁
Dear Chandoo,
Thanks for the team to do list, kindly let me know how to set the column who " finished it " from another work sheet
Hi Chandoo,
Unable to download it - can you please check the link and confirm.
Great inhisgt! That's the answer we've been looking for.
Hi Team,
I know u all are the best programmers in the world!!! that's I am here to rectify my issues. here is my question please ans me as soon as possible before 8-3-2017 its really urgent.
I have a project named the production tracker.
1) I require the user form which shows the names of the Associates which are linked to the different tracks. when the user is selected the particular track related details and dropdowns should appear.
2) I need to track the associate needs how much of the time to complete the particular task. with start stop and pause and resume timer.
3) It should display the daily count of the production and save the data to the another Excel file.
this production tracker should save all the data no matter how many people logs in into it.
Please help me for this it will be very appreciated.
you can directly email me on my mail ID: tusharkch694@gmail.com