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Fix the #NULL! error
Excel onlyWhat #NULL! means
#NULL! is an Excel-specific error caused by the intersection operator — a space between two references. It appears when you ask for the overlap of two ranges that do not actually intersect.
Common causes
- A space was typed between two ranges instead of a comma or colon, e.g. =SUM(A1:A5 C1:C5).
- A range was meant to be a union (comma) or a continuous range (colon) but used a space.
- Two ranges that genuinely do not overlap were combined with the intersection operator.
Example fix
Broken
=SUM(A1:A5 C1:C5)Fixed
=SUM(A1:A5, C1:C5)The space asked for an intersection that does not exist. A comma adds both ranges.
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How to fix it
- 1Look for an accidental space between cell references inside the formula.
- 2Use a comma to add separate ranges together: =SUM(A1:A5, C1:C5).
- 3Use a colon to define one continuous range: =SUM(A1:C5).
- 4Only use a space deliberately when you truly want the intersection of two overlapping ranges.
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Frequently asked
Does Google Sheets have a #NULL! error?
No. #NULL! is specific to Excel’s intersection operator. Google Sheets handles the same mistake differently.