Receiving INCORRECT ARGUMENT SET when using an IFERROR

Gabriel Barrera

This is the error I'm receiving on my sheet summary page. Please note that the sheet is "set up" with columns and necessary formulas, there is just no information entered yet.

Every time I open this sheet, I get the error above. To fix this problem, I just copy the formula, delete it, then re-paste it.

This is after I re-pasted the same exact formula that was giving me an error.

The formula I am using is this. =IFERROR(MEDIAN([Contract Amount]:[Contract Amount]), "Calculation error. Contact Admin.")

This is the formula that I am using. I've looked it over it numerous times, it seems like a pretty simple formula that is hard to mess up on. Does IFERROR not account for #INCORRECT ARGUMENT SET? And why does repasting the same formula in the same exact field "fix the problem"? Shouldn't there also be a 0 in that field as well, since it's calculating nothing? Or should there be my message "Calculation error. Contact Admin."?

Any feedback is appreciated! Thanks!

Paul Newcome

If the sheet is completely blank/unused, then the cells are not just empty. They essentially do not exist. What happens if you put a number in a cell in the column you are pulling into the MEDIAN function?

Paul Newcome

IFERROR does not work on ALL errors. I used to have a list, but I can't seem to find it anymore. Basically it works for most, but there are some that will still push through such as the one you are experiencing, unparseable, and blocked.

Paul Newcome

If the sheet is completely blank/unused, then the cells are not just empty. They essentially do not exist. What happens if you put a number in a cell in the column you are pulling into the MEDIAN function?

Gabriel Barrera

@Paul Newcome

If I enter a number in the referenced column, it calculates correctly.

Paul Newcome

Ok. In that case you can either leave it empty until the template is actually used knowing that the error will go away once in production, or you can insert a "placeholder row" that just holds fake data in the template.

Gabriel Barrera

@Paul Newcome

Interesting. So I guess my question now is why is IFERROR not accounting for that? Does IFERROR only work when there is data inputted into the referenced range?

Paul Newcome

IFERROR does not work on ALL errors. I used to have a list, but I can't seem to find it anymore. Basically it works for most, but there are some that will still push through such as the one you are experiencing, unparseable, and blocked.

Gabriel Barrera

@Paul Newcome

Got it, I did not know that. That is definitely useful information that I can use in the future.

Thanks!

Paul Newcome

Happy to help. 👍️