Microsoft Excel Not Recognizing Functions? Here’s What to Do

Quick Tips

• There are many reasons why Excel won’t recognize functions.
• Ensure that your region is correct and that your syntax is too.
• Ensure that add-ins are enabled, your cells are formatted correctly, and your automatic calculations are on.

What is Microsoft Excel without the power of its functions? Pretty frustrating, actually. Without them, you’re like a wizard without a wand. You want all those powers back. So, if you’re suddenly struggling with Microsoft Excel not recognizing functions, then keep reading. We’ve got a few fixes to try.

Microsoft Excel Not Recognizing Functions – Different Fixes for Different Issues

There can be a few reasons why your functions aren’t working or aren’t recognized. As such, we’ve assembled a few different troubleshooting tips to help you out.

Check Your Syntax and Spelling

Let’s start simple and perhaps a little obvious. Functions need proper syntax and spelling to, well, function. An extra “M” in (=SUM) might render the whole thing ineffective. Double-check your functions for spaces and spelling errors. Where possible, use Excel’s formula dropdown to minimize mistakes.

Regional Differences

A less obvious error is regional differences when it comes to formulae layouts. For example, in the U.S., commas are used as delimiters, in the UK (and British English countries), the semicolon is used. It’s important then to ensure your copy of Excel matches your region. Here’s how:

Step 1. Open Settings (Win + I) in Windows and head to “Time & Language” in the sidebar.

Step 2. Click on “Language & region.”

Step 3. Click “Regional Format” and choose your current region to be sure.

For Excel 365 users, you can change regional settings like so:

Step 1. Head to “Options” in the “File” tab.

Step 2. Under “Regional Settings,” choose your current locale and hit the “Change” button.

Ensure Proper Cell Format

It could be that your cell settings have changed, too. By default, cells are formatted as “General,” but wires can get crossed, and you can find yourself with cells reading percentages instead of currency. This is easy to fix:

Step 1. Select the cells your formulae are in and head to the “Home” tab in Excel.

Step 2. In the “Number” section, click the dropdown list and choose “General.”

Step 3. The cells should now be properly formatted for formulae.

Automatic Calculations

Sometimes when a function doesn’t calculate, it can mean that the automatic calculation tool has been turned off. Again, this is very easy to fix:

Step 1. Navigate to the “Formulas” tab.

Step 2. In the “Calculation” subsection, click “Calculation Options.”

Step 3. From the dropdown list, ensure that “Automatic” is checked.

Check Your Add-Ins

Not all functions are native to Excel by default. If you’re using additional function packs, such as the Analysis ToolPak, these need to be installed and enabled before use. To check if they are, do the following:

Step 1. Head to the “File” tab and click “Options” in the sidebar.

Step 2. In the Options window, click “Add-ins” in the sidebar.

Step 3. Check the status of your add-ins. If you see yours as inactive, click the “Go” button near the bottom of the screen.

Step 4. In the new window, check the add-ins you want to enable and click “OK” to finalize.

Step 5. Check if your formulae are now recognized.