Excel-insert function message

Abdulhaki Korbayram 0 Reputation points
2025-12-12T18:07:14.97+00:00

Hi,

I m working on a financial model in excel.

Whenever I try to link calculations to the model i receive this attached message.

How to solve this problem?

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Microsoft 365 and Office | Excel | For business | Windows
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  1. Ruby-N 6,220 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2025-12-12T19:37:50.6+00:00

    Dear @Abdulhaki Korbayram

    Welcome to the Q&A Community.   

    Thank you for reaching out to us regarding the issue you’re experiencing in Excel when linking calculations to your financial model. 

    Based on the screenshot you shared, the window you see is Excel’s Insert Function dialog, not an error. It appears when you click the fx button or press Shift+F3. This feature helps you search and insert functions into your formulas, so it’s normal behavior. 

    If your goal is to link calculations from other cells rather than insert a new function: 

    Option 1: Direct cell reference 

    Instead of using the Insert Function dialog, simply type = in the target cell and click the cell you want to link to. Press Enter. 

    User's image

    Option 2: Copy formula 

    If you need the same formula from another cell, copy and paste it, or use Fill Handle to drag the formula across cells. 

     User's image

    Option 3: Disable insert function prompt 

    Avoid clicking the fx button unless you want to add a new function. For linking, manual entry or copy-paste is faster. 

    As community moderators, we kindly ask for your understanding that our access to internal development details is limited. Our primary role is to guide users toward the appropriate resources and support channels. While we may not have visibility into performing deeper backend analysis, we’ll continue doing our best to support you within the scope of our responsibilities.  

    I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, we can work together to resolve this.    

    Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to support you. 


    If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have any extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment". 

    Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread. 


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