Numbers vlookup error message - "ISERROR requires one argument, but was given 4".

Discussion in 'Mac Apps and Mac App Store' started by thejollyfatman, Oct 21, 2009.

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  1. thejollyfatman, Oct 21, 2009

    thejollyfatman macrumors newbie

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2008
    #1
    Hi all, i have a numbers workbook containing 14 spreadsheets, 1 for takings for each month, one for the year total, and one for a weekly takings view of how my business is doing.

    i am trying to get the weekly sheet to show the information taken from all the other sheets when prompted, so i have used a vlookup to find all the necessary information. it works on when i enter some dates and not with others and i cant figure out why. i keep getting the error message "ISERROR requires one argument, but was given 4".

    here is the formula :

    =IFERROR(VLOOKUP($B11,Takings OCT 09 :: C3:S157, 17), ISERROR (VLOOKUP($B11, Takings APR 09 :: C3:S157, 17), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B11, Takings MAY 09 :: C3:S157),17), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B11, Takings JUN 09 :: C3:S157), 17), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B11, Takings JUL 09 :: C3:S157, 17), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B11, Takings AUG 09 :: C3:S157),17), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B11,Takings SEPT 09 :: C3:S157, 17), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B11, Takings NOV 09 :: C3:S157), 17), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B11, TakingsDEC 09 :: C3:S157), 17), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B11, Takings JAN 10 :: C3:S157), 17), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B11, Takings FEB 10 :: C3:S157, 17), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B11, Takings MAR 10 :: C3:S157, 17)))))))


    This searches for the date i enter on the weekly spreadsheet, through all the monthly ones.

    It works in some cases, but not in others.

    Any help would be much appreciated.

    Thanks.
    Rollie
     
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  2. wrldwzrd89, Oct 21, 2009

    wrldwzrd89 macrumors G5

    wrldwzrd89

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2003
    Location:
    Solon, OH
    #2
    I can tell just by looking at your formula that the problem is many, many misplaced parentheses. Without access to my Mac, though, I can't easily determine exactly what's wrong... but I can give some general guidance.

    1. Check, double-check your arguments! Your parentheses are inconsistent in several places in your formula. For example, some groups inside the IFERROR function have a ) before the , 17 and others do not.
    2. Numbers is correct that ISERROR only takes one argument - this is caused by not closing the parenthesis group properly where the VLOOKUP ends, inside the call to ISERROR. There appear to be many, many cases where you need not one, but TWO closing parentheses after each group.
     
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  3. thejollyfatman, Oct 21, 2009

    thejollyfatman thread starter macrumors newbie

    Joined:
    Oct 24, 2008
    #3
    OK, ive done that and tidied it up.

    It now looks like this:

    =IFERROR(VLOOKUP($B10,Takings OCT 09 :: C3:S157, 17)),
    ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B10,Takings APR 09 :: C3:S157, 17)), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B10,Takings MAY 09 :: C3:S157, 17)), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B10,Takings JUN 09 :: C3:S157, 17)), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B10,Takings JUL 09 :: C3:S157, 17)), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B10,Takings AUG 09 :: C3:S157, 17)), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B10,Takings SEPT 09 :: C3:S157, 17)), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B10,Takings NOV 09 :: C3:S157, 17)), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B10,Takings DEC 09 :: C3:S157, 17)), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B10,Takings JAN 10 :: C3:S157, 17)), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B10,Takings FEB 10 :: C3:S157, 17)), ISERROR(VLOOKUP($B10,Takings MAR 10 :: C3:S157, 17))))

    and it is now showing the error - "the formula contains a syntax error".

    sorry but im new to all this and am really rather confused :(.
     
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