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Making an Error
Free Worksheet
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y now you must have gotten a fair idea on how formulas are created and
references are linked. While working with these, you need to be careful as
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Semantic Errors: This error normally occurs when you spell a function incorrectly.
Excel attempts to interpret it as a name and displays the #NAME? error.
Logical Errors: Logical errors are difficult to identify as they are not displayed
overtly. They occur when a formula contains a logical error which in turn causes it
to produce incorrect or imprecise result.
Array Formula Entry Errors: This error occurs when you press Enter instead of
Ctrl + Shift + Enter while entering an array formula. Depending upon the function
and structure of formula, Excel may display an error alert or it may produce
incorrect result.
Incorrect Reference Errors: This error occurs when you enter incorrect cell
reference in a formula.
Circular References: A circular reference occurs when a formula refers to its own
value, or when a cell reference(s) is dependent upon the underlying formulas
resulting value.
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Every error value spurs from a different cause and the only way to
rectify the error is to identify the source of it and then edit the
formula accordingly to make it right.
#DIV/0!
Mathematically, you cannot divide any number with zero. It is an invalid
operation. When you try to perform this in Excel, it displays the #DIV/0! error.
This error occurs when you perform a division operation containing 0 (zero) or a
blank cell reference.
#N/A
This error occurs when a lookup formula is unable to return the required value.
Many users type this error value manually in a cell to indicate unavailable data.
#NULL!
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#REF!
The #REF! error occurs when a formula contains an invalid cell reference. This
could be due to any of the following reasons:
When the row, column or the cell containing the cell reference is deleted.
Suppose you entered the following formula in a cell:
=SUM(C5,D4,B1)
Now if you delete Column C, D or B or any of the rows containing the
mentioned cell references, Excel will display the #REF! error.
When worksheet containing the cell reference is deleted.
When copying a formula to any other location invalidates the cell
references in it.
When you cut and paste a cell to a cell already containing a cell reference.
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Figure 9.1 - Phantom Error Notification Giving You the Option to Update the Links
The phantom links are mostly created when a worksheet containing names is
copied to any other workbook.
If you want, you can update the links however there are two other methods that
you can try to resolve this issue.
First, select File > Info > Edit Links to Files to display the Edit Links dialog box.
Now one by one select each link and click Break Link. If the phantom links issue
still persists, try the second method, explained as follows.
Select Formulas tab > Defined Names > Name Manager. This will open the Name
Manager dialog box. Scroll through all the names and if you see any name that
says #REF!, delete it.
If your Name Manager dialog box contains numerous names and scrolling
through all of them would take up a lot of time, you can use the filter option
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Before we explain the applications of the formula auditing tools, you need to
understand two terms pertaining to them. First is Direct Precedents, which refer
to cells that directly feed the formulas. The second term is Dependents which
implies the cells that depend on the results of the formulas.
Following is a brief description about the formula auditing tools available in Excel.
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Trace Precedents
When you click the Trace Precedents command once, Excel puts arrows to the
direct precedents; that is, the cells that are referred to in the formula in the cell.
Clicking the Trace Precedents command again cause Excel to add a tracer to the
arrows that identifies the cells that are referred to in the formulas in the direct
precedents.
Trace Dependents
The Trace Dependents tool traces all the cells that currently are or have been
directly or indirectly linked to the underlying formula. When you click the Trace
Dependents command once, Excel puts arrows from the selected cell to the direct
precedents; that is, the cells that are referred to in the formula in the cell. Clicking
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Removing Arrows
If you dont have time or want to rectify the errors and just want to remove the
errors from the view, you can do so by clicking the Remove Arrows button in the
Formulas tab.
As you can see in Figure 9.3, the Remove Arrows command contains a drop down
list with three options, briefed as follows:
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