Microsoft KB Archive/158540

= XL97: Results Do Not Change After Toggling Transition Formula Evaluation =

Article ID: 158540

Article Last Modified on 10/22/2000

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q158540





SYMPTOMS
In Microsoft Excel 97, the results of the following functions will not change when you toggle the Transition Formula Evaluation option from On to Off, or vice versa:

AVERAGE

MIN

MAX

STDEV

STDEVP

VAR

VARP

COUNT

In earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, the results of the functions can change when the Transition Formula Evaluation option is toggled.



CAUSE
The calculation behavior of the above functions has changed in Microsoft Excel 97. These functions now ignore text values and logical values that are arguments, even when the Transition Formula Evaluation option is enabled. Earlier versions of Microsoft Excel treat text values that are arguments as zero, FALSE as 0 (zero) and TRUE as 1 (one) for these functions when the Transition Formula Evaluation option is enabled.



RESOLUTION
If you would like Microsoft Excel 97 to interpret text values that are arguments for the above functions as zero, use the appropriate corresponding "A" function. Several new functions have been added in Microsoft Excel 97.



STATUS
This behavior is by design of Microsoft Excel 97.



MORE INFORMATION
Microsoft Excel calculates formulas differently from Lotus 1-2-3. To calculate according to Lotus 1-2-3 rules, do the following:


 * 1) On the Tools menu click Options.
 * 2) In the Options dialog box, click the Transition tab.
 * 3) Under Sheet Options, click Transition Formula Evaluation and then click OK.

In Lotus 1-2-3, cells that contain text are considered to have a value of zero (0) when the cell is used in a formula. In Microsoft Excel, you cannot combine text and numeric entries in a mathematical expression such as addition or subtraction. Worksheet functions in Microsoft Excel, however, use the value 0 for cells that contain text. For example, if cell A10 contains text and cell B10 contains the value 100, the formula =A10+B10 returns the error value #VALUE!, if the Transition formula evaluation check box is cleared. However, the formula =SUM(A10,B10) returns the value 100.

Microsoft Excel 97 contains new functions for compatibility with Lotus 1-2- 3 Release 4.0 and later. The new "A" functions AVERAGEA, MAXA, MINA, STDEVA, STDEVPA, VARA, VARPA calculate results by using all of the cells in a range, including blank cells, cells that contain text, and cells that contain the logical values TRUE or FALSE.

For additional information, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

156445 XL97: New A Functions in Microsoft Excel 97

