This will display the Excel Options dialog box; Select the option Formulas from the list on the left of the dialog box; Under the Calculation options heading, select the option A utomatic and click OK.

We consider the following two cases: Case 1: The Cell Displays the Function Instead of its Calculated Value Case 2: The Formula Doesnt Update After Changes If none of these cases describe your problem and your Excel function is returning an error (rather than simply not calculating), you may find help on the Excel Formula Errors page.

Case Number 1: The Cell Displays the Function Instead of its Calculated Value A B 1 TEXT1 LEFT( A1, 1 ) 2 TEXT2 LEFT( A2, 1 ) You type in a function and when you press Enter, the cell displays the actual function text, instead of calculating the functions value.

Possible Reason 1: This problem often arises because the cells containing the formula are formatted as text instead of the General type.

This could have occurred because either: A text format has previously been applied to the cell or You have insert a new column next to a column that is formatted as text, and the new column has inherited the formatting of the adjacent column.

This formatting will cause Excel to interpret anything that is subsequently entered into the cell (including formulas) as text.

Solution 1: To correct this, you need to convert the cells data type to the General data type.

This can be done using Excels Text To Columns tool as follows: Use the mouse to select the cell(s) containing the formula (this must be done one column at a time).

From the Data tab on the Excel ribbon, select the Text to Columns option.

Within the Text to Columns dialog box, make sure the D elimited option is selected and click N ext.

Make sure all the delimiter options are unselected and then click N ext again.

You should now be offered a selection of Column Data Formats.

Possible Reason 2: You may have the display option, Show formulas in cells instead of their calculated results switched on.

CTRL- to showhide formulas When activated, this option displays all formulas in the current Worksheet.

Ctrl key, and while holding this down, press the (grave accent) key).

Note that, on many keyboards the key is at the top left, next to the number 1).

Solution 2: Try pressing the keyboard shortcut Ctrl to see if this causes the formula to display its calculated value.

Case Number 2: The Formula Doesnt Update After Changes You have a formula that you know you have entered correctly, but when you change the formula, or change the values of its dependent cells the formula continues to show the old value.

Likely Reason: This problem is usually caused by the setting of the Calculation option for your Excel spreadsheet.

By default, Excel will recalculate its functions every time a cell value changes.

However, the Calculation option can be set to switch off automatic recalculation, and once switched off, it is very easy for the user to forget about this option.

Solution: To correct this you need to set the Calculation option to Automatic.

To do this: In Excel 2010 and later: Select the File tab on the Excel ribbon, and from this, click on Options to display the Excel Options dialog box; Select the option Formulas from the list on the left of the dialog box; Under the Calculation options heading, select the option A utomatic and click OK.

In Excel 2007: Select the option Excel Op t ions from the main Excel menu (displayed by clicking on the Excel Logo at the left of the Excel ribbon).

Excel For Mac Functions Not Working