Return the logical value TRUE for any error type.
=ISERROR(value)
Return the logical value TRUE for each of the #N/A, #VALUE!, #REF!, #DIV/0!, #NUM!, #NAME?, #NULL!, #CALC!, and #SPILL! errors.
ISERROR is part of the collective IS functions which check specified values and return TRUE or FALSE depending on the outcome. The IS functions are useful for testing the outcome of a calculation and can be combined with the IF function in formulas to locate errors or get information about a value before performing another calculation.
The collective of IS functions are ISBLANK(value), ISERR(value), ISERROR(value), ISLOGICAL(value), ISNA(value), ISNONTEXT(value), ISNUMBER(value), ISREF(value) and ISTEXT(value).
To test the reverse of the function (e.g. to test if a cell does NOT contain an error), combine the ISERROR and NOT functions - =NOT(ISERROR(C7)) where cell reference C7 is the value being tested.
ISERROR syntax requires a value to test. The value argument can be a blank (empty) cell, error, logical value, text, number, reference value, or a name referring to any of these.
ISERROR with text strings or numerical values.
In the examples below, the ISERROR function is used to determine whether cells contain an error.
Use the ISERROR function to return the logical value TRUE if a cell contains an error.
Syntax
ISERROR(value)
The ISERROR function requires 1 value argument:
- value. Required. Generally a cell reference.
Try it now!
- Select the answer from the drop down lists in the grey cells.
Scope
ISERROR can be used on its own to determine whether a cell contains an error or combined within a formula to test a value prior to performing additional operations.
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=ISERROR(1/0) || result is TRUE as divide by zero triggers #DIV/0! error. |
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=ISERROR(C7) || result is FALSE if cell reference C7 does not contain an error. |
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=IF(ISERROR(C7),"You have an error!","The formula is perfect!") || when ISERROR is TRUE, the result is "You have an error!", otherwise it is "The formula is perfect!" |
Caveats
- Value arguments are not converted. Numeric values enclosed in double quotation marks are treated as text (e.g. "22"). Any IS functions requiring numeric values will therefore return a FALSE if the value is a text string.
Related Functions
- ISBLANK returns the logical value TRUE if a cell is blank or empty.
- ISERR returns the logical value TRUE for any error type except the #N/A error.
- ISERROR returns the logical value TRUE for any error type.
- ISLOGICAL returns the logical value TRUE if the cell contains either a TRUE or FALSE statement.
- ISNA returns the logical value TRUE if a cell contains the #N/A error
- ISNONTEXT returns the logical value TRUE if the cell contains any value that is not text.
- ISNUMBER returns the logical value TRUE if the cell contains a number.
- ISREF returns the logical value TRUE if the cell contains a reference.
- ISTEXT returns the logical value TRUE if the cell contains any text.
Functions Category