Error messages, explained
What the message on your screen actually means, and the fixes that work, in the order worth trying.
Excel
- #CALC!
- Microsoft Excel can't insert new cells because it would push non-empty cells off the end of the worksheet. These non-empty cells might appear empty but have blank values, some formatting, or a formula. Delete enough rows or columns to make room for what you want to insert and then try again.
- There are one or more circular references where a formula refers to its own cell either directly or indirectly. This might cause them to calculate incorrectly.
- #DIV/0!
- Excel cannot open the file '[filename]' because the file format or file extension is not valid. Verify that the file has not been corrupted and that the file extension matches the format of the file.
- The file is locked for editing by another user
- #GETTING_DATA
- To do this, all the merged cells need to be the same size.
- SECURITY RISK Microsoft has blocked macros from running because the source of this file is untrusted.
- #N/A
- #NAME?
- Microsoft Excel is not responding
- #NULL!
- #NUM!
- Number Stored as Text
- The PivotTable field name is not valid. To create a PivotTable report, you must use data that is organized as a list with labeled columns. If you are changing the name of a PivotTable field, you must type a new name for the field.
- Privacy warning: This document contains macros, ActiveX controls, XML expansion pack information, or Web components. These may include personal information that cannot be removed by the Document Inspector.
- PROTECTED VIEW Be careful, files from the Internet can contain viruses. Unless you need to edit, it's safer to stay in Protected View.
- #REF!
- Reference isn't valid.
- #SPILL!
- There's a problem with this formula.
- Too many different cell formats
- #VALUE!
- We found a problem with some content in 'filename.xlsx'. Do you want us to try to recover as much as we can? If you trust the source of this workbook, click Yes.
- This workbook contains links to one or more external sources that could be unsafe. If you trust the links, update them to get the latest data. Otherwise, you can keep working with the data you have.
Google Sheets
- Array result was not expanded because it would overwrite data in [cell].
- Formula parse error.
- #REF! You need to connect these sheets. Allow access
- Loading...
- Did not find value '<your search key>' in VLOOKUP evaluation.
- #REF! Circular dependency detected
- Result too large
- #VALUE! Function parameter expects number values
- You are trying to edit a protected cell or object. Please contact the spreadsheet owner to remove protection if you need to edit.