How to use the IFNA function

Author: Oscar Cronquist Article last updated on May 04, 2022

The IFNA function handles #N/A errors only, it returns a given value you specify if the formula returns a #N/A error.

IFNA function Syntax
IFNA function Arguments
IFNA function example
When to use the IFNA Function?
Excel error functions

1. IFNA Function Syntax

IFNA(value, value_if_na)

2. IFNA Function Arguments

value	Required. The value you want to check.
value_if_na	Required. The value to return if the value argument returns #N/A.

3. IFNA Function Example

The image above shows values and formulas in column B, the first cell B3 contains value A. The IFNA Function returns "A" because the result is not an #N/A error.

Formula in cell D3:

=IFNA(B3, "Yes")

#N/A means not available and is returned if a formula or function can't find a value. Cell B5 contains this formula:

=MATCH(1,0,0)

It returns a #N/A error because 1 is not found in the second argument in the MATCH function. The IFNA function catches this error and returns "Yes" which is the value we specified in the second argument.

4. When to use the IFNA Function?

Use the IFNA function instead of the IFERROR function to check for #N/A errors specifically. For example, VLOOKUP returns #N/A when it can't find the lookup value.

The IFERROR function checks for all error values which in most cases is not recommended. This makes it harder to spot a more serious error since all error values are handled.

'IFNA' Function examples

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Functions in 'Logical' category

The IFNA function function is one of many functions in the 'Logical' category.

AND function

Perform a logical test in each argument and if all arguments return TRUE the AND function returns TRUE.

FALSE function

Returns the logical (boolean) value FALSE.

IF function

Returns one value if the logical test is TRUE and another value if the logical test is FALSE.

IFERROR function

If the value argument returns an error, the value_if_error argument is used. If the value argument does NOT return an error, the IFERROR function returns the value argument.

IFNA function

Handles #N/A errors only, it returns a specific value if the formula returns a #N/A error.

IFS function

Checks whether one or more conditions are met and returns a value that corresponds to the first TRUE condition.

NOT function

Returns the boolean opposite to the given argument.

OR function

Evaluates a logical expression in each argument and if at least one argument returns TRUE the OR function returns TRUE. If all arguments return FALSE the OR function also returns FALSE.

SWITCH function

Returns a given value determined by an expression and a list of values.

TRUE function

Returns the logical (boolean) value TRUE.

XOR function

Calculates the logical exclusive OR meaning if at least one of the arguments evaluates to TRUE then the XOR returns TRUE. All arguments must be evaluated to FALSE for the XOR function to return FALSE.

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