ISERR function

ISERR returns TRUE for spreadsheet errors (like #DIV/0! or #REF!) but not #N/A, helping you trap formula calculation failures.

=ISERR(value)

Generate a ISERR formula

Describe what you need. The generator will reach for ISERR where ISERR is the right tool, and tell you when it is not.

How to get a better answer
  • Name your columns by letter and by header: "column F (Net Value)" beats "the amount column".
  • State every condition, including the negatives — "not cancelled" changes the formula's shape.
  • Say where the data starts if it is not row 1, and whether it will grow.
  • Check the settings above match your spreadsheet: the wrong argument separator is a syntax error on your machine.

Arguments

How ISERR reads its arguments
valuerequiredISERR →
ArgumentRequiredDescription
valueRequiredA cell reference, formula, or value to test. ISERR returns TRUE if value is an error (#DIV/0!, #REF!, #NAME?, #NULL!, #VALUE!, #NUM!, #SPILL!), but specifically returns FALSE for #N/A and non-error values.

Returns

Returns a boolean (TRUE/FALSE) indicating whether the value is a spreadsheet error excluding #N/A.

Availability

Excel: All · Google Sheets: Supported

Worked examples

1. Identify non-numeric unit quantities in sales data

Order IDRegionRepUnitsUnit PriceOrder Date
1001NorthAlice51002024-01-15
1002SouthBobabc1502024-01-16
1003EastCarol8752024-01-17
=ISERR(D2*1)

Result: FALSE, TRUE, FALSE

Multiplying text "abc" by 1 produces a #VALUE! error, so row 2 returns TRUE. Rows 1 and 3 have numeric units, so multiplying by 1 succeeds and returns FALSE. This pattern detects corrupted or text-formatted data in numeric columns.

2. Validate that order values can be calculated without errors

Order IDRegionRepUnitsUnit PriceOrder Date
1001NorthAlice51002024-01-15
1002SouthBobabc1502024-01-16
1003EastCarol8752024-01-17
=ISERR(D2*E2)

Result: FALSE, TRUE, FALSE

The formula attempts to multiply units by unit price. Row 2 fails because "abc" cannot be multiplied by 150, producing #VALUE!, so ISERR returns TRUE. Rows 1 and 3 succeed, returning FALSE. Use this to flag which orders have invalid line data before processing shipments.

3. Use conditional logic to handle calculation errors gracefully

Order IDRegionRepUnitsUnit PriceOrder Date
1001NorthAlice51002024-01-15
1002SouthBobabc1502024-01-16
1003EastCarol8752024-01-17
=IF(ISERR(D2*E2), "Invalid order", D2&" units @ $"&E2)

Result: "5 units @ $100", "Invalid order", "8 units @ $75"

ISERR inside IF creates a clean summary: if the multiplication fails (row 2), display "Invalid order"; otherwise, concatenate a readable summary of the order line. This prevents formula errors from propagating downstream while clearly marking bad data.

Common errors

Which ISERR error are you seeing?
ISERR returned an error#NAME?
Check the function name spelling and correct it to exactly =ISERR with no extra or missing letters.
#VALUE!
Provide exactly one argument. Correct syntax is =ISERR(value), where value is a single cell or formula.
#REF!
Update the formula to reference existing cells. For example, if you deleted column Z, replace =ISERR(Z2) with =ISERR(A2) or another valid reference.
ErrorWhy it happensHow to fix it
#NAME?The function name is misspelled (e.g., =ISSERR or =ISERRER instead of =ISERR).Check the function name spelling and correct it to exactly =ISERR with no extra or missing letters.
#VALUE!Wrong number of arguments: =ISERR(A1, B1) with two arguments, or =ISERR() with no arguments.Provide exactly one argument. Correct syntax is =ISERR(value), where value is a single cell or formula.
#REF!The value parameter references a cell or column that was deleted after the formula was entered.Update the formula to reference existing cells. For example, if you deleted column Z, replace =ISERR(Z2) with =ISERR(A2) or another valid reference.

Tips and when to use something else

  • ISERR specifically excludes #N/A errors. Use ISERROR if you need to catch all errors including #N/A.
  • Combine ISERR with IF to handle errors gracefully: =IF(ISERR(formula), "error text", formula).
  • Use ISERR to validate data before performing risky calculations, preventing cascade failures in dependent columns.
  • Unlike IFERROR (which shows a fallback value), ISERR just returns TRUE/FALSE, making it ideal for flagging rows or conditions that need human review.

Related functions

ISERRORISERROR returns TRUE if a value is an error like #N/A or #REF!, FALSE otherwise, enabling error detection and handling.ISNAISNA detects whether a value is the #N/A error, typically returned when a lookup function fails to find a match.IFERRORIFERROR returns the result of a formula unless that formula generates an error, in which case it returns a user-specified alternative value.ERROR.TYPEERROR.TYPE returns a number 1–7 identifying the type of error, letting you handle different errors individually or display a helpful message to users.IFThe IF function returns one value if a condition is true and another (or nothing) if it is false, letting you branch logic in a cell.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between ISERR and ISERROR?
ISERR returns TRUE for most spreadsheet errors (#DIV/0!, #NAME?, #REF!, #VALUE!, etc.) but specifically excludes #N/A. ISERROR catches all errors including #N/A. Use ISERR when you want to ignore #N/A and handle only other errors.
Can I use ISERR to check if a VLOOKUP found a match?
Not effectively. VLOOKUP returns #N/A when it doesn't find a match, but ISERR ignores #N/A. Use ISNA(VLOOKUP(...)) or IFERROR(VLOOKUP(...), "not found") instead to handle lookup failures.
How do I use ISERR to flag bad data and keep a formula working?
Combine ISERR with IF and a default value: =IF(ISERR(D2/E2), 0, D2/E2). This returns 0 if division fails, otherwise returns the result. Or use IFERROR as a simpler alternative: =IFERROR(D2/E2, 0).
Which errors does ISERR actually catch?
ISERR returns TRUE for #DIV/0!, #NAME?, #NULL!, #REF!, #VALUE!, #NUM!, and #SPILL! errors. Notably, it returns FALSE for #N/A, which is why ISERROR or ISNA are better choices when you need to detect missing values.

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Reviewed 2026-09-17