Excel Tips & Tricks: How to Use the "IFERROR" Formula

Excel is a powerful tool for organizing, analyzing and presenting data. However, even the most experienced users can make mistakes. One of the most common problems in Excel is the appearance of error messages, such as #N/A, #VALUE, #REF, and others. Fortunately, the "if error" formula in Excel can help you avoid these errors and ensure your data is accurate.

In this blog, we’ll explore what the "if error" formula is, how to use it.

What is the "if error" formula in Excel?

The "if error" formula in Excel is a conditional formula that returns a specific value if a formula generates an error. It allows you to control the error messages that appear in your data and replaces them with a value or text of your choice. The formula is written as follows:

=IFERROR(value, [value_if_error])

The "value" argument is the formula or expression you want to evaluate. The "[value_if_error]" argument is the value or text you want to appear if an error occurs.

How to Use the "if error" Formula in Excel?

Using the "if error" formula in Excel is easy. Simply follow these steps:

1.Enter the formula or expression you want to evaluate in a cell.

2.Select the cell where you want to apply the "if error" formula.

3.Enter the formula =IFERROR(value, [value_if_error]) in the formula bar.

4.Replace "value" with the cell reference containing the formula or expression you want to evaluate.

5.Replace "[value_if_error]" with the value or text you want to appear if an error occurs.

Press the Enter key to apply the formula.

Do watch a video to understand this IF ERROR formula 👇

The "IFERROR" formula in Excel can be used with many other functions such as:

1.VLOOKUP

2.INDEX/MATCH

3.SUMIF/SUMIFS

4.AVERAGEIF/AVERAGEIFS

5.COUNTIF/COUNTIFS

6.DIVIDE (to avoid "#DIV/0!" errors)

7.Nested IF statements

It can also be used with text and date functions like LEFT, RIGHT, CONCATENATE, and DATE.