Getting an error message when working with any software can be frustrating. But when it comes to Excel errors, they can actually be a welcome clue to uncovering what’s wrong—and save you from becoming an Excel disaster story.

When working with Excel reports, especially when pulling data from external sources like NetSuite, errors can creep in and disrupt your analysis. These issues can lead to inaccurate reports, misinformed decisions, and wasted troubleshooting time. Let’s explore the most common Excel reporting errors and how to fix them.

1. #N/A Errors

When you see #N/A show up in a cell, it means “not available.” Most commonly, the formula or function that is running can’t find the specified value or match in your data.

Cause:

• Missing data in lookup formulas such as XLOOKUP, INDEX, MATCH, or outdated functions like VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP.
• Inconsistent or mismatched data between datasets.

Fix:

• Ensure the lookup value exists in the source data.
• Use IFERROR or IFNA. IFNA will replace the error with a specific value or message, such as “Not Found.” IFERROR is similar, but will catch all error types, not just #N/A.

=IFNA(XLOOKUP(A2, Sheet2!A:A, Sheet2!B:B, “Not Found”), “Not Found”)

2. #REF! Errors

Short for “reference,” you’ll see a #REF! error when a formula is trying to reference a cell that doesn’t exist where it originally did, either because it was deleted or moved.

Cause:

• Deleting a cell or range referenced in a formula.
• Copy-pasting formulas incorrectly across sheets or workbooks.

Fix:

• Use Undo (Ctrl + Z) immediately after deleting a referenced cell. You can also close and reopen the workbook to restore deleted cells or sheets ONLY if you haven’t saved the workbook.
• Audit formulas with Trace Dependents and Trace Precedents (Formulas > Formula Auditing).
• Use structured references instead of hardcoded ranges when possible.

3. #VALUE! Errors

You’ll get a #VALUE! Error most often when your formula or function encounters a problem with the type of data it’s trying to use. For example, it could be designated to receive a number, but the reference cell instead sends back a text or other unexpected value. 

Cause:

• Mismatched data types (e.g., text being used in numerical calculations).
• Incorrect argument types in formulas.

Fix:

• Check for incorrect data types using ISTEXT() or ISNUMBER().
• Ensure formulas reference valid values:

=IF(ISNUMBER(A2), A2*B2, “Check Data”)

4. #NAME? Errors

Getting a #NAME? error in your results? It’s because Excel isn’t recognizing something in the formula you entered. Usually this is a function, range, or reference, and indicates a syntax issue or missing element. 

Cause:

• Typing errors in function names.
• Missing defined names or references.

Fix:

• Double-check formula names and ranges.
• Use the Name Manager to verify named ranges (Formulas > Name Manager). This Excel feature allows you to change the name of the table range to your liking.

5. #DIV/0! Errors

The #DIV/0! error shows up when a formula is trying to divide a number by zero, or by a cell that evaluates to zero. The error message lets you know that Excel cannot complete the division operation. 

Cause:

• Division by zero or an empty cell.

Fix:

• Use an IF statement to prevent division by zero:

=IF(B2=0, “N/A”, A2/B2)

6. Duplicate or Missing Data

No one wants to spend time manually de-duplicating data in a spreadsheet. But what other options do you have for cleaning up data? Several, it turns out.

Cause:

• Inconsistent data imports from NetSuite or other systems.
• Manual errors when consolidating multiple datasets.

Fix:

• Use Remove Duplicates in Excel (Data > Remove Duplicates).
• Utilize COUNTIF() to check for duplicates. This statistical function will count cells based on a single condition,such as a specific value or text.

=COUNTIF(range, “citeria”)

7. Formula Not Calculating Due to Text Formatting

Often, the way a particular program will export data, cells are defaulted to a Text format. The problem is that trying to run formulas on Text cells will result in some of the errors we covered above. 

Cause:

• When loading an ExtendInsights template, the cells are formatted as Text by default, preventing formulas from calculating.

Fix:

• Change the cell format to General:
  1. Select the affected cells.
  2. Go to the Home tab > Number Format dropdown > Select General.
  3. Press Enter or double-click the cell to refresh the formula.
• Use a VBA Macro or Excel Script to automate this process:

Sub ConvertTextToGeneral()

    Dim rng As Range

    Set rng = Selection

    rng.NumberFormat = “General”

    rng.Value = rng.Value ‘ Forces recalculation

End Sub

8. VLOOKUP Keeps Returning #NA! Errors

VLOOKUP is a very handy function when searching for information, but if the lookup function doesn’t find a valid match, it will return the #N/A error. XLOOKUP, on the other hand, is both more flexible and more accurate, and can be set up to return custom text when a match isn’t found.

Cause:

• VLOOKUP is limited in flexibility and performance.
• These functions do not support searching from right to left.
• They require exact column or row index numbers, making maintenance difficult.

Fix:

• Use XLOOKUP instead for improved functionality and ease of use:

=XLOOKUP(A2, Sheet2!A:A, Sheet2!B:B, “Not Found”)

• XLOOKUP allows for default values when not found and supports dynamic column lookups without needing index numbers.

Eliminate Errors with ExtendInsights

Manually exporting and importing NetSuite data into Excel often leads to errors compromising reporting accuracy. But it doesn’t have to be like this. Our Excel to NetSuite integration app, ExtendInsights, is purpose built to eliminate these issues. First, it ensures that data is accurately pulled from NetSuite in real time, which minimizes discrepancies that lead to errors such as #N/A, #REF!, and #NAME? ExtendInsights also synchronizes data directly from NetSuite, eliminating the need for multiple data pulls and thereby reducing the risk of duplicate entries. Accurate data retrieval also makes it faster and easier to use XLOOKUP functions.

In short, your Excel reports will automatically be cleaner and more error-free.

• Real-time and scheduled data refreshes to ensure reports are always up to date.
• Automated data extraction to eliminate manual entry errors.
• Consistent formatting for error-free calculations.

By integrating ExtendInsights with Excel, you can ensure data consistency, reduce troubleshooting time, and build reliable and actionable reports.

Say goodbye to Excel reporting errors—let ExtendInsights do the heavy lifting for you! Try it today for free.