Excel is a powerful tool for managing and manipulating data, but errors can occur when working with formulas and functions. One of the most common errors is the #NAME? error, which occurs when Excel is unable to recognize a specific entity within a formula. This error can be caused by a variety of factors, including misspelled formulas, improper range usage, misspelled named ranges, or text not in quotes.
To fix the #NAME? error in Excel, you need to first identify the primary cause of the error. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the four primary causes of the #NAME? error and how to fix them.
1. Misspelled Formula
The most common cause of the #NAME? error is a misspelled formula. For example, if you accidentally misspell “VLOOKUP,” Excel will immediately pop up the #NAME? error message. To correct this, simply replace the incorrect formula name with the correct one.
2. Improper Range Usage
If you are using range references inside your formulas, you need to be careful to avoid #NAME? errors. Any improper range reference will trigger the error. For example, referring to the range B2 to B20 without a colon in between will give rise to the error. Replace all improper usage to clear the error.
3. Misspelled Named Ranges
Similarly, if you have accidentally misspelled a named range, expect a #NAME? error to show up immediately. To avoid this, correct any wrong instances and be careful while referring to named ranges in the future. Also, be wary of using local named ranges that are valid inside one worksheet only or global named ranges that are valid in all worksheets. If you accidentally refer to a local named range that is not present in your worksheet, you will face the #NAME? error. Open the name manager using the control plus f3 shortcut and cross-check the scopes of all named ranges.
4. Text Not in Quotes
In Excel, when you want to refer to any text string, you have to enclose it inside two double quotes. If you don’t do this, Excel will mistake the string for a formula or a named range and will throw up a #NAME? error. Keep this in mind while referring to text strings inside formulas.
Now that we know how to troubleshoot each type of #NAME? error, let’s look at how to avoid them in the first place.
1. Take Help from Formula Suggestions
Excel has a very powerful formula suggestion feature. When you start typing in your formula after the equal to symbol, Excel will automatically start suggesting suitable formulas and their respective syntaxes. Pay special attention to these suggestions and double-check if your formulas are in accordance with the syntax. Interestingly, if you happen to have named ranges in your sheet, these will also appear in the suggestions, making it easier for you to enter formulas without errors.
2. Use the Formula Wizard
Use the formula wizard if you’re still not familiar with any syntax. You can access this by clicking on the fx icon right next to the formula bar. Enter the formula name in the insert function box. This will take you to the function arguments dialog box where you can enter each argument separately. Now, Excel will hold your hand and help you out in filling all the arguments.
3. Identify All the #NAME? Errors in One Go
In some cases, you may want to quickly identify all the #NAME? errors in an Excel worksheet. To do this, select the data where you want to scan for errors. In the home tab, click on the find and select under the go to special section. Select the errors option under the formula section and click OK. This will highlight all the errors in the worksheet. Please note that this is not specific to the #NAME? error. In case you want this to be specific, press the control plus f shortcut to open the find and replace menu. Type in “name” question mark in the find what section. Click on options and set the look in option to values. Click OK. This will list all the causes of the #NAME? error, and you can start resolving them one by one.
In conclusion, errors in Excel can be frustrating, but with the right knowledge, you can easily troubleshoot and fix them. We hope you find this troubleshooting tutorial helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section. Thank you!