Many times, while working with data in Excel, you may as well feel a need to find the cell which is not in a text format cell in excel. In that case, the ISNONTEXT function in Excel becomes useful, to find non-text cell in excel. This function serves a critical role as an information formula, meticulously assessing whether a given input is devoid of textual attributes. Its primary function is to return TRUE if the input is non-text and FALSE otherwise. As an indispensable tool for data organization, troubleshooting, and validation, the Excel ISNONTEXT function empowers users to scrutinize the nature of their data efficiently, contributing to a more effective and streamlined spreadsheet experience.

The ISNONTEXT function is compatible with all versions of Excel and follows a specific syntax:

Excel ISNONTEXT Function Syntax:

ISNONTEXT(value)

"Value" represents the value or reference you want to test. This function operates by testing the nature of a given input and determining if it falls within the category of non-text.

Excel ISNONTEXT Function Sample Use Case

A common application of the ISNONTEXT function involves testing the value of a cell or a value returned by a formula. It requires only a single argument as input, returning a TRUE logical value if the value is non-text, such as a number, date, error message string, or logical value. For example:

=ISNONTEXT(100) returns TRUE

=ISNONTEXT("a string") returns FALSE

For further exploration and practical understanding of this Excel function, you can download a sample workbook:

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Tips

  • You can use the ISNONTEXT function as a logical test inside an IF function.
    =IF(ISNONTEXT(A1),"Non-text","Text")
  • The function returns TRUE for empty cells. On the other hand, if a formula returns an empty string (""), the cell will look empty in the Excel interface, but the ISNONTEXT function will return FALSE in this case, as Excel considers the space character to be a non-empty value.
  • IFERROR function can return a specific value if case of an error, and can be useful for error handling.
  • Below is a list of other IS… functions:
    • ISBLANK to test blank cells
    • ISERR to test error values except #N/A
    • ISERROR to test all error values
    • ISNA to test #N/A error value specifically
    • ISNUMBER to test numbers
    • ISTEXT to test any item that is not a text
    • ISREF to test a reference
    • ISEVEN to test even numbers
    • ISODD to test odd numbers

The ISNONTEXT function stands tall in the ever-expanding array of Excel functions, offering users a reliable tool to unravel the complexities of their data.  We hope this guide helps you understand how to use the ISNONTEXT function in Microsoft Excel.