Lesson 7: FORMULA ERRORS

#####
When your cell contains this error code, the column isn't wide enough to display the value.

1. Click on the right border of the column A header and increase the column width.

Tip: double click the right border of the column A header to automatically fit the widest
entry in column A.

#NAME?
The #NAME? error occurs when Excel does not recognize text in a formula.

1. Simply correct SU to SUM.

#VALUE!
Excel displays the #VALUE! error when a formula has the wrong type of argument.

1a. Change the value of cell A3 to a number.

1b. Use a function to ignore cells that contain text.

#DIV/0!
Excel displays the #DIV/0! error when a formula tries to divide a number by 0 or an empty
cell.
1a. Change the value of cell A2 to a value that is not equal to 0.
1b. Prevent the error from being displayed by using the logical function IF.

Explanation: if cell A2 equals 0, an empty string ("") is displayed. If not, the result of the
formula A1/A2 is displayed.

#REF!
Excel displays the #REF! error when a formula refers to a cell that is not valid.

1. Cell C1 references cell A1 and cell B1.

2. Delete column B. To achieve this, right click the column B header and click Delete.
3. Select cell B1. The reference to cell B1 is not valid anymore.

4. To fix this error, you can either delete +#REF! in the formula of cell B1 or you can undo
your action by pressing CTRL + z

#N/A
The #N/A error appears when the VLOOKUP function (or XLOOKUP, MATCH, etc.) can't find
a match.
1. In the example below, ID 28 cannot be found.
2. Use the IFNA function to replace the #N/A error with a friendly message.

#NUM!
Excel shows the #NUM! error when a formula contains invalid numeric values.

1. For example, the SQRT function below cannot calculate the square root of a negative
number.

2. Change the number in cell A1 to a positive number.

#NULL!
The intersect operator (single space) returns the intersection of two ranges. When two
ranges don't intersect, Excel displays the #NULL! error.

1. The formula below returns #NULL! because the two ranges don't intersect.

2. The formula below doesn't return the #NULL error.

Note: =SUM(F2:G2) produces the exact same result!

#SPILL!
If something is blocking a spill range, Excel displays the #SPILL! error.
1. Simply empty cell C6 to fix the #SPILL error.

Note: this dynamic array function, entered into cell C1, fills multiple cells.

Array Formulas
Single cell array formulas perform multiple calculations in one cell.
Without Array Formula
Without using an array formula, we would execute the following steps to find the greatest
progress.

1. First, we would calculate the progress of each student.

2. Next, we would use the MAX function to find the greatest progress.

With Array Formula

We don't need to store the range in column D. Excel can store this range in its memory. A
range stored in Excel's memory is called an array constant.
1. We already know that we can find the progress of the first student by using the formula
below.
2. To find the greatest progress (don't be overwhelmed), we add the MAX function, replace
C2 with C2:C6 and B2 with B2:B6.

3. Finish by pressing CTRL + SHIFT + ENTER.

Note: the formula bar indicates that this is an array formula by enclosing it in curly braces {}.
Do not type these yourself. They will disappear when you edit the formula.

Explanation: the range (array constant) is stored in Excel's memory, not in a range. The array
constant looks as follows:
{19;33;63;48;13}

This array constant is used as an argument for the MAX function, giving a result of 63.

4. If you're using Excel 365 or Excel 2021, finish by simply pressing Enter. Bye bye curly
braces.

F9 Key
When working with array formulas, you can have a look at these array constants yourself.

. Select C2:C6-B2:B6 in the formula.

2. Press F9.
That looks good. Elements in a vertical array constant are separated by semicolons.
Elements in a horizontal array constant are separated by commas.

DATA ANALYSIS
Sort
You can sort in ascending or descending order.

One Column
To sort on one column, execute the following steps.

1. Click any cell in the column you want to sort.

2. To sort in ascending order, on the Data tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click AZ.

Result:

Note: to sort in descending order, click ZA.

Multiple Columns
To sort on multiple columns, execute the following steps.

1. On the Data tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click Sort.

The Sort dialog box appears.

2. Select Last Name from the 'Sort by' drop-down list.

3. Click on Add Level.

4. Select Sales from the 'Then by' drop-down list.

5. Click OK.

Result. Records are sorted by Last Name first and Sales second.
Filter
Filter your Excel data if you only want to display records that meet certain criteria.
1. Click any single cell inside a data set.

2. On the Data tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click Filter.

Arrows in the column headers appear.

3. Click the arrow next to Country.

4. Click on Select All to clear all the check boxes, and click the check box next to USA.

5. Click OK.
Result. Excel only displays the sales in the USA.

6. Click the arrow next to Quarter.

7. Click on Select All to clear all the check boxes, and click the check box next to Qtr 4.

8. Click OK.

Result. Excel only displays the sales in the USA in Qtr 4.

9. To remove the filter, on the Data tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click Clear. To remove the
filter and the arrows, click Filter.

There's a quicker way to filter Excel data.

10. Select a cell.

11. Right click, and then click Filter, Filter by Selected Cell's Value.
Result. Excel only displays the sales in the USA.

Note: simply select another cell in another column to further filter this data set.

Conditional Formatting
Conditional formatting in Excel enables you to highlight cells with a certain color, depending
on the cell's value.
Highlight Cells Rules
To highlight cells that are greater than a value, execute the following steps.

1. Select the range A1:A10.

2. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click Conditional Formatting.

3. Click Highlight Cells Rules, Greater Than.

4. Enter the value 80 and select a formatting style.

5. Click OK.

Result. Excel highlights the cells that are greater than 80.

6. Change the value of cell A1 to 81.

Result. Excel changes the format of cell A1 automatically.

Note: you can also use this category (see step 3) to highlight cells that are less than a value,
between two values, equal to a value, cells that contain specific text, dates (today, last week,
next month, etc.), duplicates or unique values.

Clear Rules
To clear a conditional formatting rule, execute the following steps.
1. Select the range A1:A10.

2. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click Conditional Formatting.

3. Click Clear Rules, Clear Rules from Selected Cells.

Top/Bottom
To highlight cells that are above average, execute the following steps.

1. Select the range A1:A10.

2. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click Conditional Formatting.

3. Click Top/Bottom Rules, Above Average.

4. Select a formatting style.

5. Click OK.

Result. Excel calculates the average (42.5) and formats the cells that are above this average.
Note: you can also use this category (see step 3) to highlight the top n items, the top n
percent, the bottom n items, the bottom n percent or cells that are below average.

Conditional Formatting with Formulas

Take your Excel skills to the next level and use a formula to determine which cells to format.
Formulas that apply conditional formatting must evaluate to TRUE or FALSE.

1. Select the range A1:E5.

2. On the Home tab, in the Styles group, click Conditional Formatting.

3. Click New Rule.

4. Select 'Use a formula to determine which cells to format'.

5. Enter the formula =ISODD(A1)

6. Select a formatting style and click OK.

Result. Excel highlights all odd numbers.

Explanation: always write the formula for the upper-left cell in the selected range. Excel
automatically copies the formula to the other cells. Thus, cell A2 contains the formula
=ISODD(A2), cell A3 contains the formula =ISODD(A3), etc.

Here's another example.

7. Select the range A2:D7.

8. Repeat steps 2-4 above.

9. Enter the formula =$C2="USA"

10. Select a formatting style and click OK.

Result. Excel highlights all USA orders.

Explanation: fixed the reference to column C by placing a $ symbol in front of the column
letter ($C2). As a result, cell B2, C2 and cell D2 also contain the formula =$C2="USA", cell
A3, B3, C3 and D3 contain the formula =$C3="USA", etc.

Charts
A simple chart in Excel can say more than a sheet full of numbers. As you'll see, creating
charts is very easy.
Create a Chart
To create a line chart, execute the following steps.

1. Select the range A1:D7.

2. On the Insert tab, in the Charts group, click the Line symbol.

3. Click Line with Markers.

Result:

Note: enter a title by clicking on Chart Title. For example, Wildlife Population.

Change Chart Type

You can easily change to a different type of chart at any time.

1. Select the chart.

2. On the Chart Design tab, in the Type group, click Change Chart Type.
3. On the left side, click Column.

4. Click OK.

Result:
Switch Row/Column
If you want to display the animals (instead of the months) on the horizontal axis, execute the
following steps.

1. Select the chart.

2. On the Chart Design tab, in the Data group, click Switch Row/Column.

Result:

Legend Position
To move the legend to the right side of the chart, execute the following steps.

1. Select the chart.

2. Click the + button on the right side of the chart, click the arrow next to Legend and click
Right.

Result:

Data Labels
You can use data labels to focus your readers' attention on a single data series or data
point.

1. Select the chart.

2. Click a green bar to select the Jun data series.

3. Hold down CTRL and use your arrow keys to select the population of Dolphins in June
(tiny green bar).

4. Click the + button on the right side of the chart and click the check box next to Data
Labels.

Result: