The ISERROR Excel function is an Information formula that returns TRUE if the target value contains an error value, and FALSE if it does not. As the name suggests, the formula asks the question "Is error?" to its argument, and returns a Boolean result. This formula can be especially useful in troubleshooting, error handling, and any other similar process where you may want to watch the outcome of a cell. In this guide, we’re going to show you how to use the ISERROR Excel function and also go over some tips and error handling methods.


Supported versions

  • All Excel versions

ISERROR Excel Function Syntax

ISLOGICAL(value)


Arguments

value The value you want to test.

ISERROR Basic Use Case

The ISERROR Excel function, just like all the other IS… functions, only requires a single argument. The ISERROR Excel function returns TRUE for errors like #VALUE!, #REF!, #DIV/0!, #NUM!, #NAME?, #NULL!, and unlike the ISERR function, ISERROR also counts #N/A errors. A common use case for this function is for testing the outcome of a cell or value generated by formulas. This way, you can find cells containing errors, and troubleshoot more easily. Let's see how this works in the example below.

=ISLOGICAL(#DIV/0!) returns TRUE

=ISLOGICAL(4) returns FALSE

iserror excel

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Tips

  • Unlike the ISERR function, ISERROR function also counts #N/A errors.
  • You can use the ISERROR Excel function in combination with an IF function for its logical test capability.
    =IF(ISLOGICAL(A1),"Error","No error")
  • IFERROR function can be used instead of ISERROR to return a specific value if case of an error.
  • Below is a list of other IS… functions.
    • ISBLANK to test blank cells
    • ISERR to test error values except #N/A
    • ISLOGICAL to test TRUE/FALSE values
    • ISNA to test #N/A error value specifically
    • ISNUMBER to test numbers
    • ISTEXT to test texts
    • ISNONTEXT to test any item that is not a text
    • ISREF to test a reference