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In this article
ISNUMBER returns TRUE for numbers (and dates). Combined with SEARCH or MATCH, it turns “found / not found” into TRUE/FALSE.
Syntax
=ISNUMBER(value)| Argument | What it means |
|---|---|
value |
Anything. |
Examples
Example 1
=ISNUMBER(A2)FALSE exposes numbers stored as text.
Example 2
=ISNUMBER(SEARCH("gst", B2))Does the description mention GST?
Example 3
=ISNUMBER(MATCH(A2, OtherList, 0))Is this ID in the other list?
ISNUMBER in practice
Where you will use it
- Check if a search found something: ISNUMBER(SEARCH(...))
- Find numbers stored as text
- Validate amount columns
Worked example
| Value | Formula | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1500 | =ISNUMBER(A2) | TRUE |
| 1500 | =ISNUMBER(A3) | FALSE |
| 8 | =ISNUMBER(A4) | TRUE |
Results calculated in Excel.
Mistakes people make
| Mistake | What to do instead |
|---|---|
| Text numbers | "1500" is text; VALUE converts it |
| Dates | Dates are numbers, so ISNUMBER is TRUE |
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📎 Practice files for this article
- 📗Practice workbook: Information (IS…) functions15 tasks on realistic sales data — type your formula, the Check column turns green when it is right. Answers sheet included.⬇ XLSX · 34 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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