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XL: How to Create a Formula to Correctly Evaluate Blank Cells

This article was previously published under Q214244
In Microsoft Excel, when you use a formula that tests for a zero value, you may see unexpected results if the cell is blank. Microsoft Excelinterprets a blank cell as zero, and not as empty or blank. Therefore, any cells that are blank are evaluated as zero in the function.
If you are checking a cell for a zero value and the cell is blank, thetest evaluates to true. For example, if you have the following formula in cell A1

If the range might contain a blank cell, you should use the ISBLANKfunction to test for a zero value, as in the following example:

XL2001 XL2000 98 XL98 XL97 XL7

Article ID: 214244 - Last Review: 01/24/2007 02:59:42 - Revision: 2.3

Microsoft Excel 2000 Standard Edition, Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition, Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition, Microsoft Excel 95a, Microsoft Excel 2001 for Mac, Microsoft Excel 98 for Macintosh

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