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ISERROR Function (LibreOffice Calc)

Information Beginner LibreOffice Calc Introduction not established

The ISERROR function in LibreOffice Calc checks whether a value results in any error. It is essential for error handling, data validation, and building resilient formulas.

Verification status: Consult the documentation, examples and any stated test scope below. How formula examples are checked

Availability and version history

  • Introduced: Documented by LibreOffice 26.8.1.1; original introduction not established.
  • Availability: Supported in LibreOffice 26.8.1.1, verified against its function registry. This identifies a supported release, not a final working version.
  • Scope: Desktop Calc, using the English function name. Availability in other spreadsheet applications is separate.
  • Checked: 2026-10-14 — function reference; versioned support. Documentation/source check; not a new native test. Existing example-specific test claims below retain their stated scope.
The **ISERROR** function checks whether a value results in *any* error in LibreOffice Calc. It detects all error types, including `#N/A`, `#VALUE!`, `#REF!`, `#DIV/0!`, `#NAME?`, and others. ISERROR is essential for error handling, data validation, and building resilient formulas that avoid cascading failures.

What the ISERROR Function Does

  • Returns TRUE for any error
  • Returns FALSE for valid numbers, text, logical values, or blanks
  • Useful for wrapping risky formulas
  • Works with literals, formulas, and references

It is designed to be broad, safe, and reliable.

Syntax

ISERROR(value)

Arguments

  • value:
    Any value, expression, or cell reference.

Basic Examples

Check if A1 contains an error

=ISERROR(A1)

Use with IF to handle errors

=IF(ISERROR(A1); "Error"; A1)

Check a division that may fail

=ISERROR(A1 / B1)

TRUE if B1 = 0.

Check a literal error

=ISERROR(#N/A)

Returns TRUE.

Advanced Examples

Wrap a VLOOKUP to prevent #N/A

=IF(ISERROR(VLOOKUP(A1; B1:C10; 2; 0)); "Not found"; VLOOKUP(A1; B1:C10; 2; 0))

Detect invalid references

=ISERROR(INDIRECT(A1))

TRUE if A1 contains an invalid reference.

Validate numeric conversion

=ISERROR(VALUE(A1))

TRUE if A1 contains non-numeric text.

Detect errors in array formulas

=ISERROR(SUM(A1:A10 / B1:B10))

TRUE if any B cell is zero.

Check for errors before performing calculations

=IF(ISERROR(A1); ""; A1 * 2)

Detect errors in imported data

=ISERROR(A1)

Useful when external sources contain invalid values.

Combine with IFERROR for cleaner logic

=IFERROR(A1 / B1; "Invalid")

Equivalent to wrapping ISERROR manually.

Edge Cases and Behavior Details

ISERROR catches all error types

  • #N/A
  • #REF!
  • #VALUE!
  • #DIV/0!
  • #NAME?
  • #NUM!
  • #NULL!

ISERROR does NOT catch non-error values

=ISERROR("text") → FALSE  
=ISERROR(0) → FALSE  
=ISERROR("") → FALSE

ISERROR vs ISERR

  • ISERROR catches all errors
  • ISERR catches all errors except #N/A

ISERROR on a blank cell

=ISERROR(A1)

Returns FALSE.

ISERROR on a formula returning ""

=ISERROR("")

Returns FALSE.

Common Errors and Fixes

ISERROR returns TRUE unexpectedly

Cause:

  • Formula returns #N/A
  • Formula returns #REF!
  • Division by zero
  • Invalid reference in INDIRECT
  • Text passed to VALUE

Fix:
Wrap the risky expression in IFERROR or validate inputs.

ISERROR returns FALSE unexpectedly

Cause:

  • Value is text, not an error
  • Value is blank
  • Value is a number
  • Formula returns ""

ISERROR used on a range

=ISERROR(A1:A10)

Returns a single TRUE/FALSE in array context; use SUMPRODUCT to scan ranges.

Best Practices

  • Use ISERROR to detect any error type
  • Use IFERROR for cleaner error-handling logic
  • Use ISERR when you want to treat #N/A differently
  • Validate inputs before performing risky operations
  • Use ISERROR with INDIRECT, VLOOKUP, VALUE, and division
ISERROR is your safety net — it prevents cascading failures and lets you gracefully handle any error condition.
  • Use IFERROR for simplified error handling
  • Use ISERR to exclude #N/A
  • Use ISNA to detect #N/A specifically
  • Use TYPE to inspect value types
  • Use IF to build custom error logic

By mastering ISERROR and its companion functions, you can build resilient, error‑tolerant spreadsheets in LibreOffice Calc.

Reproducible example (tested in LibreOffice Calc)

This standalone example was calculated in LibreOffice Calc 25.2.3.2 and matched the expected value. It is a practical cross-check of one usage, not proof that every example elsewhere on this page is correct.

=ISERROR(1/0)

Expected result: TRUE.

Determine whether a calculation returned an error.

If the result differs, check the referenced cells, argument separators and number formatting. For more information, consult the LibreOffice Calc official help.