# Weird Excel Error Message! Please Explain...

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-excel-error-message-please-explain/648284>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 25, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-excel-error-message-please-explain/648284 "2013-01-25T02:42:35Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-excel-error-message-please-explain/648284/1 "2013-01-25T02:42:35Z")

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In an Excel spreadsheet, I have adjacent rows upon rows summed by formula. Each calculated value has a little caution sign next to it, and says the following on a mouse-over:  
“The formula in this cell refers to a range that has additional numbers next to it.” WTF? What kind of message is that, and why do I care?

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**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-excel-error-message-please-explain/648284/2 "2013-01-25T02:54:00Z")

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Usually it’s like if you sum columns B thru J, if there’s numbers in column A it’s asking if you’re sure you didn’t want column A included in the formula.

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-excel-error-message-please-explain/648284/3 "2013-01-25T02:58:31Z")

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> [@zoid](#):
>
> Usually it’s like if you sum columns B thru J, if there’s numbers in column A it’s asking if you’re sure you didn’t want column A included in the formula.

Oh, I see… So, once again MS is getting too big for its britches thinking they know better than I how I want to sum my numbers! Well, thanks a lot, Mr. Gaites! Obviously, I am not smart enought to determine such things for myself!

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**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-excel-error-message-please-explain/648284/4 "2013-01-25T03:09:37Z")

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You can turn them off but the only way I know how is using VB.  
Maybe someone else knows a better way.

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**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2013, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-excel-error-message-please-explain/648284/5 "2013-01-25T13:53:18Z")

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I’m in Excel 2007. Under “Excel Options” there is an option for “Formulas” with a section for “Error Checking.” One option there that is checked on mine is “Formulas which omit cells in a region.” Unchecking this should eliminate that message that the OP got.

Also, shouldn’t it be formulae, not formulas?