Excel’s IFERROR function traps errors that are returned from a formula or calculation. It gives you control over what is returned instead of an error message, such as IFERROR then blank.
![Showing Excel IFFERROR and VLOOKUP with custom text returned](https://excelquick.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/iferror-blank-vlookup-excelquick-1.png)
Links to topics on this page
- Errors captured by IFERROR
- IFERROR() function – definition and arguments
- Excel IFERROR then blank
- IFERROR with VLOOKUP
- IFERROR perform another function
For example, instead of a formula returning Excel’s default ‘#N/A’ error, you might want to:
- IFERROR then blank, i.e. return no text at all, or
- VLOOKUP and return specific text, e.g. use with VLOOKUP to return “Value not found”;
- perform a different function or formula.
IFERROR() checks for the following errors:
#N/A, #VALUE!, #REF!, #DIV/0!, #NUM!, #NAME?, #NULL!.
A valid answer will be returned as normal if there is no error.
IFERROR Excel definition
=IFERROR( result [you enter your formula/function here], value_if_error )
IFERROR() arguments
- result = value resulting from a function / formula / calculation; you enter your formula/function here to be checked in the IFERROR function;
- value_if_error = the value or instruction you specify for Excel to return if ‘result‘ is an error;
- If the function / formula / calculation returns a valid answer, its result is returned as normal.
Syntax – plain English definition
=IFERROR( Formula/calculation to be checked for errors [result will be returned if no error], Value/formula/calculation to be returned if there is an error )
IFERROR then blank – syntax
=IFERROR( A2/B2 , “” )
The example above calculates the formula ‘A2 divided by B2’ (i.e. cell contents of A2 and B2), and if this results in an error, the result returned is a blank cell. If A2/B2 produces a valid result it is returned as normal.
IFERROR and VLOOKUP – syntax
=IFERROR( VLOOKUP ( G4,$B$2:$D$26,3,FALSE ) , “Value not found” )
The above example performs a lookup for a value (in cell G4) in a range ($B$2:$D$26) in column 3, and if the value is not found, then the string “Value not found” is returned.
The VLOOKUP function is wrapped inside an IFERROR() function.
![Excel IFERROR and SEARCH with custom text returned.](https://excelquick.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/iferror-vlookup-custom-text-excelquick-1.png)
See our post here on how to use the SEARCH function with IFERROR https://excelquick.com/excel-function/search-specific-text-sum-values/.
See our other posts on VLOOKUP:
- VLOOKUP examples
- VLOOKUP MATCH – two-way lookup
- VLOOKUP with CONCATENATE
IFERROR then perform another function – example
=IFERROR( I8/J8 , I8/$M$4 )
![](https://excelquick.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/excel-quick-help-iferror_2.png)
In the example above, the calculation in row 8, I8/J8 (55 divided by 0) results in an error, so the second formula (I8/$M$4) is calculated instead.