6 Effective Solutions to Fix #SPILL! Error in Microsoft Excel Sheets

Excel is an incredibly powerful spreadsheet application that allows you to perform various calculations quickly and easily. However, sometimes you may encounter the #SPILL! error in Microsoft Excel when your formula returns multiple results. This error occurs when the range is too large or there is not enough memory to display the results in a single cell. In this article, we will explore the causes of the #SPILL! error and provide you with six effective solutions to fix it.

What is the #SPILL! Error and How to Identify It

The #SPILL! error occurs when you enter a formula in Excel and it returns multiple results. Excel displays this error instead of showing the actual result. Some common spill errors you may encounter include:

• Spill range is empty
• Spill range is unknown
• Spill range is out of memory
• Spill occurred due to fallback
• Spill range is too big
• Spill range isn't blank
• Spill range has merged cells

To identify the #SPILL! error, you can troubleshoot it by pasting the formula into an empty Excel sheet and recreating the error. This way, you can avoid losing valuable data and hours of hard work.

Effective Solutions to Fix the #SPILL! Error

1. When Spill Range Is Too Big

If the range in your formula is too wide for Excel to calculate the array size, it will result in a #SPILL! error. To fix this, try reducing the range width and see if that helps.

2. When Spill Range Is Not Blank

When entering a formula in Excel, if the spill range for the array is not blank, you will see a #SPILL! error with a dashed border line around it. To resolve this error, right-click on the error and select the “Select Obstructing Cells” option. Then, delete or move the obstructing cell's entry to clear the error and allow the formula to spill as intended.

3. When Excel Is Out of Memory

If Excel is running out of memory due to a large range or array, you can fix the #SPILL! error by referencing a smaller range or array.

4. When Spill Error Extends Beyond Sheet's Edge

If your formula is causing Excel to search or lookup the entire column and return a large number of results, it may result in a #SPILL! error when it extends beyond the sheet's edge. To fix this error, try using a smaller range or moving the formula to a different cell within the sheet.

5. Table Formula

Tables in Excel do not support spill formulas, so using one inside a table may cause a #SPILL! error. To fix this, you can either remove the table or move the spill formula out of the table. Another option is to convert the table into a range by clicking on “Table Design > Tools > Convert To Range.”

6. Spill Into Merged Cells

If your Excel spreadsheet has merged cells, a spilled array formula cannot spill successfully into those cells. To fix this error, you need to unmerge the cells or move the formula to a different cell that does not intersect with the merged cells.

By following these six effective solutions, you can troubleshoot and fix the #SPILL! error in your Microsoft Excel sheets. Remember to choose the solution that best suits your specific situation and data.

For further reading, you can also learn how to password protect an Excel file to ensure the security of your data.