How to use the Excel ISREF function

Summary

The Excel ISREF returns TRUE when a cell contains a reference and FALSE if not. You can use the ISREF function to check if a cell contains a valid reference.

Purpose

Test for a reference

Return value

A logical value (TRUE or FALSE)

Syntax

=ISREF (value)

Arguments

value - The value to check.

Version

Excel 2003

Usage notes

Use the ISREF function to check if value is a reference. ISREF will return TRUE when value is a reference and FALSE if not.

For example, =ISREF(A1) will return TRUE and =ISREF("apple") will return false.

ISREF is part of a group of functions called the IS functions that all return the logical values TRUE or FALSE.

ISREF formula examples

Worksheet name exists

The ISREF function returns TRUE for a valid worksheet reference and FALSE is not. In this case, we want to find out of a particular sheet exists in a workbook, so we construct a full reference by concatenating the...

How to fix the #REF! error

About the #REF! error The #REF! error occurs when a reference is invalid. In many cases, this is because sheets, rows, or columns have been removed, or because a formula with relative references has been copied to a...

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Excel ISREF Function

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