Formula Resulting in Zero Unexpectedly

Anonymous
2025-03-14T12:37:46+00:00

Hi everyone,

I'm encountering an issue with a formula in my Excel sheet that is unexpectedly returning a value of zero. The formula in question is:

=(H15-G15)/G15

The values in the referenced cells are:

  • G15: 806706
  • H15: 4414954

Given these values, the formula should return approximately 4.47, but instead, it is returning zero. I have checked for formatting issues, hidden rows/columns, and circular dependencies, but none of these seem to be the cause.

Could anyone help me understand why this formula is returning zero and how to fix it?

Similar things happened when attempting to simple calculations in the same file (both using the desktop app and 365 online), is doing weird things. When I open the file in the desktop app it shows an alert: "Microsoft Excel cannot calculate a formula. There is a circular reference in an open workbook, but the references that cause it cannot be listed for you. Try editing the last formula you entered or removing it with the Undo command.” explain what it means and how to solve it” Can that be it?

Thanks in advance for your assistance!


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Answer accepted by question author
Rory Archibald 19,055 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2025-03-14T14:02:46+00:00

Yes, if you have circular references you will often end up with other calculations simply returning 0. You will need to try and find the cause of the problem. If you select each sheet in turn, does it mention any specific cells with circular references in the status bar?

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