Microsoft KB Archive/184109

= XL: OFFSET Accepts Negative Values for Height and Width =

Article ID: 184109

Article Last Modified on 8/17/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Excel 5.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q184109





SYMPTOMS
When you use the OFFSET worksheet function and type a negative number for the Width argument or Height argument, you receive a result and not an error value. This behavior is incorrect.

If the Width argument or the Height argument is less than -1 (-2,-3,-4, and so on), the result of the OFFSET function is the error value #VALUE! unless you enter the formula as an array formula. When you enter the formula as an array, you receive a result and not an error value. This behavior is also incorrect.

NOTE: To enter a formula as an array formula in Microsoft Excel for Windows, enter the formula and press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER. In Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, press COMMAND+ENTER.



WORKAROUND
To work around this problem, use a positive integer number for the Width argument and the Height argument of the OFFSET worksheet function.



STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.



MORE INFORMATION
According to Microsoft Excel Help, the OFFSET worksheet function requires that the Width argument and the Height argument be a positive number.

