What you will build

Reproduce the #NAME? errors case on a small table, identify the cause, and verify the corrected formula or input returns the expected result.

Learning objectives

Open the practice workbook

HANDS-ON PRACTICE

Practice in your own copy

Make your own Google Sheets copy with the same data, formulas, formatting, filter and frozen header. The original remains unchanged.

Make a Google Sheets copy (access required) ↗View original

Sign in to Google. If the original is not publicly shared, download the full workbook and import it into Google Sheets, or paste the example data into your own sheet.

Complete Google Sheets source table before formula verification.

Hands-on practice

Step 1: In D2, enter =NOT_A_FUNCTION(B2). Confirm D2 shows #NAME? while the source value in B2 remains 10.

Step 2: Select D2 and inspect the formula bar. The token NOT_A_FUNCTION is not a valid Google Sheets function, so Sheets cannot resolve that name.

Step 3: In E2, enter =SUM(B2). Confirm E2 returns 10, proving the source value is valid and the unresolved function name caused the error.

=NOT_A_FUNCTION(B2)
Result cell and formula are visible in Google Sheets for comparison with the source data.

Enter the formula in D2.

=SUM(B2)
Result cell and formula are visible in Google Sheets for comparison with the source data.

Keep D2 as the broken example and enter =SUM(B2) in E2 for a direct comparison.

Checkpoint

CaseInput AInput BBroken resultFixed result
Example100#NAME?10

Expected checkpoint: D2 shows #NAME? from =NOT_A_FUNCTION(B2), E2 shows 10 from =SUM(B2), and B2 remains 10.

Common mistakes and fixes

Correction: return to the exact range and command named in the steps, then compare the live sheet with the Case, Input A, Input B, Broken result, Fixed result source fields.

Independent practice

Add one row with the same schema, repeat the action, verify the new row behaves correctly, then remove it to restore the sample.

Key takeaways

  • ✓#NAME? means Sheets cannot resolve a name used by the formula.
  • ✓Reproduce the error in D2 without changing the source value in B2.
  • ✓Inspect the formula bar to locate the unresolved function or named range.
  • ✓Replace the invalid name with the intended valid function; here, =SUM(B2) returns 10.
  • ✓Keep the broken example visible while you verify the corrected result.
QUICK CHECK

Check your understanding

Answer four questions about the practice sheet.

1. What does #NAME? indicate in this example?
2. Which token causes the error in D2?
3. What should =SUM(B2) return when B2 contains 10?
4. What should you do if a corrected formula still shows #NAME?

Next lesson

Continue in recommended learning order with Sort and filter entries in Class attendance.