How to read a blank cell as zero for formulas?
 

I have an empty cell because of "" in the formula but in a new formula
referencing that cell I want it to be read as zero? Help

Lots of excel's functions will treat that as a zero (like =sum()).

But some will blow up real good:
=a1+a2

Maybe:
=n(a1)+n(a2)

would be ok for you.



mrssm5 wrote:

I have an empty cell because of "" in the formula but in a new formula
referencing that cell I want it to be read as zero? Help

--

Dave Peterson

Range based functions (SUM, AVERAGE, etc) will ignore "", but if you
want it treated as zero (instead of being ignored) you will have to do
something like
=IF(cell="",0,cell)
In a range based function this becomes an array function, like
=AVERAGE(IF(range="",0,range))

Note that cell="" does not distinguish between truly empty cells and
cells that contain "". If that distinction is important, Then you would
need to add a test for ISBLANK(cell).

Jerry

mrssm5 wrote:

I have an empty cell because of "" in the formula but in a new formula
referencing that cell I want it to be read as zero? Help