XL: TYPE() Function Doesn't Return Value 8 for Formula

ID: Q119148

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 4.0a, 5.0, 5.0c
Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 4.0, 5.0, 5.0a

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Excel, when you use the TYPE() function on a worksheet to return the type of information in a cell, the value 8 is not returned when the cell contains a formula.

CAUSE

The TYPE() function returns information about the type of value that is contained in a cell. Microsoft Excel Help indicates that the TYPE() function returns 8 when the cell you are evaluating contains a formula. However, when the cell contains a formula, the TYPE() function returns a number based on the value returned by the function, not the function itself.

Example

   A1: =SUM(B1:C3)
   A2: =TYPE(A1)

Because the function in cell A1 returns a number value, the TYPE() function in cell A2 returns the value 1, for a number value, instead of the value 8 for a formula value.

Note that the return value 8 was introduced in the version 4.0a function reference. This value was not included in the documentation for the TYPE function in earlier versions of Microsoft Excel.

REFERENCES

For more information about the TYPE function, choose the Search button in Help and type:

   TYPE function

Additional query words: 5.00 7.00 97 XL97 XL7 XL5 docerr

Keywords          : kbdta xlformula 
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0a,5.0,5.0c,7.0,97; MACINTOSH:4.0,5.0,5.0a
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: January 8, 1999