Excel 2016 - Formula not working, error message

Question

Hi everyone,

When entering a formula, this error keeps coming up. I have checked that I am entering the code correctly and when I send this document to colleagues and they enter the same formula it works without this message popping up. What am I doing wrong?? HELP!

Answer 1

Please enter following formulas and let us know if it gives error -

= 1 + 1

= A1+B1

=SUM(1,2,3)

=SUM(1;2;3)

It it gives error in all cases, I will suggest that you repair your Excel.

Repair the office installation - https://support.office.com/en-NZ/Article/Repair-an-Office-application-7821d4b6-7c1d-4205-aa0e-a6b40c5bb88b

Answer 2

Hi KirstyHaynes,

You have type a formula in Cell A1, and given the formula with reference for Cell A1.

the error would be appear on screen 

You want to result in Cell A1, and your data is in A2. So why you get the reference in formal for cell A3, or whenever you missed the typing of = sign.

Please type the =LEFT(B3,B) 

check the result.

Hope this will be helpful for you.

Answer 3

Hi Ashish,

Thanks for your response. No that didn't work - the same error message appeared.

I'm thinking there might be something wrong with the software?

Thanks,

Kirsty

Answer 4

My spreadsheet have evolved over many years and now the formulas that were working before I upgraded to Excel2016 don't display properly. They don't show the ; or commas etc. to separate the arguments in the formula. The formulas work fine, but I can't change them:

When I do try to change them or enter a new function I get the error mentioned here.

The same spreadsheet works perfectly on my colleague's Excel Office 2013 on his PC.

Answer 5

I was facing the same issue. Repaired, uninstalled and reinstalled Office 2016 few times without success.

In the Regions settings in windows, I had "|" as the Line Separator. I changed it to the default "," and it worked.