Excel Won't Calculate My Function

Case Number 1: The Cell Displays the Function Instead of its Calculated Value

	A	B
1	TEXT1	=LEFT( A1, 1 )
2	TEXT2	=LEFT( A2, 1 )

You type in a function and when you press Enter, the cell displays the actual function text, instead of calculating the function's value.

Possible Reason 1:

This problem often arises because the cells containing the formula are formatted as 'text' instead of the 'General' type.

This could have occurred because either:

• A text format has previously been applied to the cell

or

• You have insert a new column next to a column that is formatted as text, and the new column has 'inherited' the formatting of the adjacent column.

This formatting will cause Excel to interpret anything that is subsequently entered into the cell (including formulas) as text.

Solution 1:

To correct this, you need to convert the cell's data type to the 'General' data type. This can be done using Excel's Text To Columns tool as follows:

1. Use the mouse to select the cell(s) containing the formula (this must be done one column at a time).
2. 

   From the Data tab on the Excel ribbon, select the Text to Columns option.

   This will bring up the 'Text to Columns' dialog box.
3. Within the 'Text to Columns' dialog box, make sure the Delimited option is selected and click Next.
4. Make sure all the delimiter options are unselected and then click Next again.
5. You should now be offered a selection of Column Data Formats. Select General and click the Finish button.

Possible Reason 2:

You may have the display option, "Show formulas in cells instead of their calculated results" switched on.

When activated, this option displays all formulas in the current Worksheet.

The option is located in the options panel, under 'Advanced' options. However, it is much faster to turn on/off this option using the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + ` as a toggle (i.e. press the Ctrl key, and while holding this down, press the ` (grave accent) key).

(Note that, on many keyboards the ` key is at the top left, next to the number 1).

Solution 2:

Try pressing the keyboard shortcut   Ctrl + `   to see if this causes the formula to display its calculated value.

If this does not solve your problem, press   Ctrl + `   again, to return the "Show formulas in cells instead of their calculated results" option to it's previous setting.