XL97: List of Errors That Formula AutoCorrect Detects

• Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SUMMARY

This article contains a list of common formula errors detected as part of the Formula AutoCorrect feature of Microsoft Excel 97 and the suggested correction for each error.

MORE INFORMATION

Error                             Example           Result

Unmatched parenthesis () in

  non-nested formulas             =A1+(A2+A3        =A1+(A2+A3)

Unmatched curly braces {}         ={1,2,3}*{1,2,3   ={1,2,3}*{1,2,3}

 " " or ' '                       ="asdf            ="asdf"

Reversed Cell References          =1A+1B            =A1+B1

Extra operators in the

  beginning of a formula          ==A1+B1           =A1+B1

  without operand                 =A1+B1+           =A1+B1

Double operators                  =A1*/B1           =A1*B1

Implied Multiplication            =A1+2(3/B2)       =A1+2*(3/B2)

Replace x with *                  =2x3              =2*3

Extra decimal points              123.456.789       =123.456789

  separator as determined by
  Regional settings in
  Windows Control Panel)          10,000.00         10000.00

Operator Order                    =A1=>B1           =A1>=B1
                                  =A1=<B1           =A1<=B1
                                  =A1><B1           =A1<>B1

Misplaced colon in range          A:1:B2            A1:B2

Using semi-colon in range         A1;B2             A1:B2

Extra spaces in cell addresses    =A 1+B2           =A1+B2

Extra space between numbers       =1 + 2 + 3        =1+2+3

  name and parenthesis            =SUM (A1:B2)      =SUM(A1:B2)

REFERENCES

For more information about AutoCorrect in formulas, click the Index tab in Microsoft Excel 97 Help, type the following text

   formula autocorrect