How can I ignore #N/A values when using formulas in Excel?

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The process of ignoring #N/A values when using formulas in Excel involves utilizing the IFERROR function. This function allows you to specify an alternate value or action when an #N/A error is encountered within a formula. By using this function, you can effectively bypass the #N/A values and continue with the desired calculation. This is particularly useful when working with large data sets or when performing complex calculations in Excel. By ignoring #N/A values, you can ensure that your formulas accurately reflect the intended results without being disrupted by errors.

Ignore #N/A Values When Using Formulas in Excel

You can use the following basic syntax to calculate the mean, median, sum, standard deviation, etc. in Excel while ignoring #N/A values:

=AVERAGE(IFNA(A2:A21, "")) 

=MEDIAN(IFNA(A2:A21, ""))

=SUM(IFNA(A2:A21, ""))

=STDEV(IFNA(A2:A21, ""))

This syntax simply replaces #N/A values with blanks and then calculates the descriptive statistic you’re interested in.

The following examples show how to use this syntax in practice.

Example 1: Calculate Mean & Ignore #N/A Values

The following screenshot shows how to calculate the mean of a dataset that contains #N/A values:

Excel average and ignore NA

The mean of the dataset (ignoring all #N/A values) is 14.76.

Example 2: Calculate Median & Ignore #N/A Values

The following screenshot shows how to calculate the median of a dataset that contains #N/A values:

Median in Excel and ignore NA

The median of the dataset (ignoring all #N/A values) is 14.

Example 3: Calculate Sum & Ignore #N/A Values

The following screenshot shows how to calculate the sum of a dataset that contains #N/A values:

SUM in Excel and ignore NA

The sum of the dataset (ignoring all #N/A values) is 251.

Example 4: Calculate Standard Deviation & Ignore #N/A Values

Standard deviation and ignore NA in Excel

The standard deviation of the dataset (ignoring all #N/A values) is 6.

Additional Resources

The following tutorials explain how to perform other common tasks in Excel:

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