why does my Excel formula always return zero value when it should return a positive value

Question

I create formula in Excel worksheet that should result in a positve (currency) value, but they alway return a "0" value. I have cleared content and rebuilt the formula, but same result. How can I fix this?

Answer 1

There could be several reasons why your Excel formula is returning a zero value instead of a positive value. Here are some common issues to check:

1. Formula Logic: Ensure that the logic of your formula is correct. If the formula is designed to perform a calculation based on other cells, verify that those cells contain the expected values.
2. Cell Formatting: Check the formatting of the cells involved in the calculation. If the cells are formatted as text, Excel may not perform the calculation correctly. You can change the cell format to 'General' or 'Currency' to ensure proper evaluation.
3. Hidden Values: Sometimes, cells may appear empty or zero due to hidden values or formatting. Make sure that there are no hidden rows or columns affecting the output.
4. Error Handling: If your formula includes functions that can return errors (like IFERROR), ensure that they are not suppressing the actual result. If an error occurs, it might default to zero.
5. Dependencies: If your formula depends on other cells, check if those cells are correctly populated and not resulting in errors themselves.
6. Circular References: If your formula creates a circular reference, Excel may not be able to calculate a result and could return zero.

If you've checked all these factors and the issue persists, consider sharing the specific formula you're using for more targeted troubleshooting.

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References:

• Excel Worksheet and Expression Evaluation

Answer 2

Dear @Pat Murphy, 

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.  

Could you share the formula and an image of it that you are currently using? Knowing the formula will help me pinpoint the exact problem! 

The most common reasons for this error are usually that Excel treats data stored as Text differently from data stored as Numbers. If a cell looks like a number but is actually stored as text, it will be treated as zero in mathematical calculations, or it might be due to including Currency Symbols or Commas in the Formula, or the function you are using is inappropriate. 

So, if possible, please copy that file and send it to me via private message. To access the private message, there will be a notification at the top of your post; please click on 'View message' to help me. 

Looking forward to your response!