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In this article
IFNA replaces only #N/A — the “not found” result of lookups — and lets real errors show.
Syntax
=IFNA(value, value_if_na)| Argument | What it means |
|---|---|
value_if_na |
What to show when not found. |
Examples
Example 1
=IFNA(VLOOKUP(A2, Prices, 2, FALSE), "New product")Friendly message only for missing codes.
IFNA in practice
Where you will use it
- Show 'Not found' when a lookup fails
- Default prices for new items
- Keep other errors visible while hiding #N/A
Worked example
| Code | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|
| P01 | =IFNA(VLOOKUP(A2,{"P01",250;"P02",400},2,FALSE),"Not found") | 250 |
| P99 | =IFNA(VLOOKUP(A3,{"P01",250;"P02",400},2,FALSE),"Not found") | Not found |
| P02 | =IFNA(VLOOKUP(A4,{"P01",250;"P02",400},2,FALSE),"Not found") | 400 |
Results calculated in Excel.
Mistakes people make
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Using IFERROR everywhere | IFNA hides only #N/A, so real mistakes still show |
| Returning "" then summing | Return 0 if the column is summed |
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📎 Practice files for this article
- 📗Practice workbook: Logic, LET & LAMBDA17 tasks on realistic sales data — type your formula, the Check column turns green when it is right. Answers sheet included.⬇ XLSX · 35 KB
Free to use for learning. Files with macros (.bas) are plain text — import them with Alt+F11 → File → Import File, and always test on a copy.
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