#VALUE error when you add text and values in Excel (100825)

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Office Excel 2003
Microsoft Excel 2002
Microsoft Excel 2000
Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

This article was previously published under Q100825

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, when you perform a mathematical operation on cells that contain text and values, you may receive a #VALUE! error.

CAUSE

Although some functions correctly evaluate cells and ignore text strings, if you add the cells by using arithmetic operators such as addition (+), subtraction (-), multiplication (*), or division (/), an error value may occur.

WORKAROUND

Instead of using an individual mathematical operator, use its equivalent worksheet function instead:

SUM (adds)
PRODUCT (multiplies)
QUOTIENT (divides)

For example, if you type the following information in cells A1:A7 of a worksheet

   A1: 10
   A2: text
   A3: 20
   A4: =A1+A2+A3
   A5: =SUM(A1+A2+A3)
   A6: =SUM(A1,A2,A3)
   A7: =SUM(A1:A3)

the formulas in cells A4 and A5 return a #VALUE! error; however, cells A6 and A7 return the correct value of 30.

Modification Type:	Major	Last Reviewed:	1/26/2005
Keywords:	kbprb KB100825