Tip #9: 5 common spreadsheet errors and how to solve them

Tip #9: 5 common spreadsheet errors and how to solve them

Functions can help you automate your calculations and pull important insights from your data set. However, if something goes wrong with these functions, errors occur and make your spreadsheet less reliable. These errors usually have a cascading effect, especially if your functions refer to and depend on each other. In this post, we'll look at five of the most common errors your spreadsheet formula might throw at you and how to troubleshoot them.
 

#NAME!

The infamous #NAME error is also the easiest to troubleshoot. This error is often the result of a typed error in the formula. This could be a spelling mistake in the function name, the range, or even the sheet name. Unbalanced brackets or quotes could also be at fault. To rectify the #NAME error, take a look at your function and check for possible spelling mistakes, typographical errors, or open brackets and make sure you've furnished all necessary arguments as per the syntax. 


 

#VALUE!

A #VALUE error usually means one of the two things: The function does not have sufficient arguments, or the arguments in the function are not the right data type. For instance, if you intend to add values in cell C5 by the value in cell C6, they must both be numbers. If one of the cells is a text string, then the spreadsheet throws a #VALUE error. To troubleshoot the function, check that all necessary arguments of a function are furnished and in the right format.



#N/A!

This is technically not an error. Your formula is working properly, but there is no value available for the spreadsheet to return as the answer. For instance, if you use a VLOOKUP function in a table to return the sales numbers for transactions handled by Adriana, and there are no records of Adriana in the tables, the formula will throw an #N/A error.



#CIRCULARREF!

#CIRCULARREF is an error that results when functions directly or indirectly refer to themselves. For instance, if you're trying to create a formula in cell A1 that calculates the sum of multiple cell values, and you try to include A1 in the calculation, you'll get the #CIRCULARREF error. To troubleshoot, edit the formula and remove the function's reference to itself. If left unchecked, these functions could overwork and slow down your spreadsheets.



#SPILL!

There are quite a few formulas in Zoho Sheet that support array results. But existing content in a spreadsheet can obstruct spill results. When this happens, Zoho Sheet throws a #SPILL error. To troubleshoot, select the cell with the #SPILL error and click the error icon to view possible resolutions. Simply selecting and moving the cells obstructing the results, or deleting their contents, can resolve the #SPILL error.



We hope these tips were helpful. Follow our community and our Twitter handle for more spreadsheet tips and tricks. 

            Zoho Marketing Automation
                      • Sticky Posts

                      • Tip #7: Four things you didn't know you can do with Conditional Formatting

                        Conditional formatting helps you highlight and visualize data in your spreadsheet based on provided rules. Zoho Sheet offers three types of conditional formatting: Classic, Color Scales, and Icon Sets. If you're already familiar with how Conditional Formatting works, here are some bonus tips for Classic formats: Customize rules with formulas Zoho Sheet allows you to create personalized rules based on formulas. For example, in a task list you can use customized formulas to highlight tasks which are
                      • Tip #15: Stop guessing and start estimating with Zoho Sheet's Goal Seek

                        Goal Seek is an ideal spreadsheet tool for devising estimates, as it helps you retrieve your desired output value when the input values are not known. In other words, Goal Seek does back-solving to find input values once you've provided an output value.
                      • Tip #10: 3 helpful ways to use data validation in your spreadsheet

                        Data validation in spreadsheets makes data entry processes more efficient, while helping reduce inconsistencies and errors in your data sets. In this article, we'll look at three ways you can use data validations to create useful dropdown lists in your
                      • Tip #8: Using RAND and RANDBETWEEN functions to generate random data sets

                        Have you ever spent hours working on a sample data record for a demonstration? We're here to show you how to do it in less time. If you want to generate a sample data set for a demonstration, or just to learn how a pivot table works, using the RAND and
                      • Tip #3: Save your time by replicating formats

                        Formatting helps to create more visually appealing spreadsheets while keeping data organized. Selectively applying formatting options to your work, such as applying fonts, currency formats, or colors, can be time-consuming and repetitive. Replicating formatting guidelines for your work can help remove the burden of applying these menial tasks, which improve overall productivity in your workflow.  Let's say you are collaborating on a spreadsheet with your team and you have to create a combined report.

                      Zoho Pagesense Resources

                        Zoho SalesIQ Resources



                              Zoho TeamInbox Resources

                                Zoho DataPrep Resources



                                  Zoho CRM Plus Resources

                                    Zoho Books Resources


                                      Zoho Subscriptions Resources

                                        Zoho Desk Resources

                                          Zoho Projects Resources


                                            Zoho Sprints Resources


                                              Qntrl Resources


                                                Zoho Creator Resources


                                                  Zoho WorkDrive Resources



                                                    Zoho Campaigns Resources

                                                      Zoho CRM Resources

                                                            Design. Discuss. Deliver.

                                                            Create visually engaging stories with Zoho Show.

                                                            Get Started Now