Excel ERROR.TYPE Function

The Excel ERROR.TYPE function returns a number that corresponds to a specific error value. You can use ERROR.TYPE to test for specific kinds of errors. If no error exists, ERROR.TYPE returns #N/A. See the table below for a key to the error codes returned by ERROR.TYPE. 

The ERROR.TYPE function takes just one argument, error_val, which is expected to be an Excel error like #VALUE!, #DIV/0!, #NAME!, etc. When error_val is an error, ERROR.TYPE returns a numeric code. If error_val is not an error, ERROR.TYPE returns an error itself: the #N/A error. In most cases, error_val will be supplied as a reference to a cell that may contain an error value.

Examples

If cell A1 contains displays the #DIV/0 error, then ERROR.TYPE will return 2:

=ERROR.TYPE(A1) // returns 2

If cell A1 displays the #N/A error, ERROR.TYPE returns 7

=ERROR.TYPE(A1) // returns 7

If cell A1 displays no error, ERROR.TYPE returns #N/A

=ERROR.TYPE(A1) // returns #N/A

One way to use ERROR.TYPE is to test for specific errors and display a custom message when certain error conditions exist. For example, to test for a #DIV/0! error in cell A1 and display a custom message when present, you can use a formula like this:

=IF(ISERROR(A1),IF(ERROR.TYPE(A1)=2,"Missing value",A1),"")

This formula returns an empty string ("") when no error is present, and the message "Missing value" when A1 contains #DIV/0!. Other errors are displayed normally.

Errors and codes

Other error functions

Excel provides a number of error-related functions, each with a different behavior:

• The ISERR function returns TRUE for any error type except the #N/A error.
• The ISERROR function returns TRUE for any error.
• The ISNA function returns TRUE for #N/A errors only.
• The ERROR.TYPE function returns the numeric code for a given error.
• The IFERROR function traps errors and provides an alternative result.
• The IFNA function traps #N/A errors and provides an alternative result.