Article ID: 183756
Article Last Modified on 9/11/2002
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Excel 98 for Macintosh
This article was previously published under Q183756
SYMPTOMS
When you calculate a formula using column or row labels as a reference in a natural language formula, the formula returns a zero value.
CAUSE
This problem occurs when you enter the formula in the same column or row as the label that you are referencing. Natural language formulas seek out the label you are referencing by first searching to the left and then searching above the formula you entered.
WORKAROUND
When you use natural label formulas, do not enter formulas in the same column or row as the label you are referencing. Instead, enter the formula in a column to the right of or in a row below the label that you are referencing.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.
MORE INFORMATION
When you use natural language formulas, it is not necessary to create defined names or determine the cell ranges in advance. Microsoft Excel 98 determines the range based on the row and column labels that you provide in the table on the worksheet.
Example
To set up the example, type the following data in a worksheet:
A1: B1: First Quarter C1: Second Quarter
A2: Product A B2: 100 C2: 50
A3: Product B B3: 110 C3: 60
A4: Product C B4: 120 C4: 70
In this example, the following formula returns the value 150 for the sum of Product A:
= Sum('Product A')
However, this formula returns a 0 (zero) if you enter it in column A (for example, in cell A5). For additional information about using natural language formulas, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
161881 XL97: How to Use Natural Language Formulas
REFERENCES
For more information about natural language formulas, click Contents And Index on the Help menu (or on the Balloon Help menu if you are using a version of the Macintosh operating system earlier than 8.0), click the Index button in Microsoft Excel Help, type the following text
fomulas, names
and then click Show Topics. Select the "About labels and names in formulas" topic, and click Go To. If you are unable to find the information you need, ask the Office Assistant.
Additional query words: NLF XL98
Keywords: kbbug kbpending KB183756
