Tell apart cells that compute from cells that hold typed-in values. ISFORMULA returns TRUE for any cell containing a formula — perfect for auditing a model or protecting calculated cells.
The example
Flag which cells are calculated.
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cell | Formula? |
| 2 | =A1*2 | TRUE |
| 3 | 100 | FALSE |
The formula
The formula:
How it works
How it works:
ISFORMULA(cell)returns TRUE if the cell holds a formula, FALSE otherwise.- Use it to audit a model — spot where someone has typed a hard-coded number over a formula.
- Pair it with conditional formatting to shade every calculated cell a different color.
- Available from Excel 2013 onward.
Highlight overwritten formulas: in a row that should be all formulas, a conditional-formatting rule of =NOT(ISFORMULA(A1)) flags any cell where a formula was replaced by a typed value — a common source of silent model errors.
Try it: interactive demo
Type a cell value (start with = for a formula).
Variations
Flag non-formulas
Catch hard-coded cells:
Count formula cells
Audit a range:
Show the formula text
As a string:
Pitfalls & errors
Needs a cell reference. ISFORMULA takes a reference, not a value — =ISFORMULA(5) errors.
2013+ only. Not available in Excel 2010 or earlier.
Blank = FALSE. Empty cells return FALSE, not an error.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a cell contains a formula in Excel?
How do I find cells where a formula was overwritten?
How do I see the actual formula as text?
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