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Common Excel Problems

My formula gives a #NAME? error

This error occurs when Excel does not understand a name you have used in a formula. Usually the #NAME? error appears when you have used a name that does not exist, or when you misspell an existing name. 

Another cause of the #NAME? error is when you have tried to type a range, but did not use a colon (eg. A3F11 instead of A3:F11 would cause the error). 

My formula gives a #VALUE? error

When using named ranges, you may get the #VALUE? error if Excel cannot determine which item of the range you want to use in your formula. Here is an example: If you select cells A1:A5, and assign the name MyRange, you can put a formula in B1 that says =MyRange+10. This formula will use the value from MyRange that is in the same row, which is the value in A1. When we copy the formula to B2, it will use the value from A2. But if we put this formula in B7, Excel cannot find a value of MyRange in the same row, and the #VALUE? error results.

My formula won't show the result, just #######

This problem occurs when the column is too narrow. Excel does not want to confuse you by printing a value of $15,000 as $15,0 so it simply refuses to show the answer unless there is enough space.

My formula gives a "circular reference" error

This occurs when a formula in a cell refers to the same cell. For example, if the formula in A1 is =A1+3, Excel does not know how to calculate the result, since it could keep adding 3 forever. It is also possible to have a circular reference created by more than one cell. For example, A1 could contain =B1+3, and B1 could contain =A1+4. Again, Excel does not know how to calculate the values. (This problem can be difficult to see in your head. You may want to draw a spreadsheet on paper, and try to do the calculation.)

A circular reference is almost always caused by a formula that refers to the wrong cell. Go back and double-check any formulas that may be causing the problem.