The ISERROR function in Google Sheets is a logical function that enables users to identify whether a specified value is an error. This can be especially useful in data validation and error-checking scenarios, allowing users to handle errors more effectively within their spreadsheets.

Syntax

ISERROR(value)

• value: The expression or cell that you want to evaluate for errors.

Example #1

ISERROR(A1)

This checks if the value in cell A1 is an error. Example result: TRUE if A1 contains an error (like DIV/0!), otherwise FALSE.

Example #2

ISERROR(10/0)

This evaluates a division by zero operation, which results in an error. Result: TRUE because dividing by zero produces a DIV/0! error.

Example #3

ISERROR("Sample")

This checks a text string for errors. Result: FALSE since the string “Sample” is not an error.

Error handling

When using ISERROR, you may encounter the following error messages:

• NAME?: This indicates that Google Sheets doesn’t recognize the function name, possibly due to a typo.
• VALUE!: This error arises when the function receives an incorrect type of argument, like a range when only a single value is expected.
• DIV/0!: This error occurs when attempting to divide by zero, which is not defined mathematically.

Conclusion

The ISERROR function is a powerful tool in Google Sheets, allowing users to efficiently identify errors in their data. By integrating this function into your spreadsheet workflows, you can enhance error checking and improve your data integrity.