Skip to main content

How to keep cell blank when applying formula until data entered in Excel?

Author: Sun Last Modified: 2024-08-30

In Excel, if you apply a formula to a column range, the result will be displayed as zero while the reference cells are blank in the formula. But in this case, I want to keep the cell empty when apply formula until the reference cell entered with data, if there are any tricks to handle it?
a screenshot of formula result showing 0 and blank when no data is entered in the reference cell

Keep cell blank until data entered in

Keep cell blank until data entered in

Actually, there is a formula that can help you to keep the formula cell empty until data entered in reference cells.

For instance, here to calculate the difference between column Value 1 and column Value 2 in column Differences, and you want to keep the cell blank if there are some blank cells in the column Value 1 and column Value2.

Select first cell that you want to place the calculated result, type this formula =IF(OR(ISBLANK(A2),ISBLANK(B2)), "", A2-B2), and drag fill handle down to apply this formula to the cells you need.
a screenshot of using formula to keep formula cell blank until data entered in the reference cells

In the formula, A2 and B2 are the reference cells in the formula you want to apply, A2-B2 are the calculation you want to use.

a screenshot of kutools for excel ai

Unlock Excel Magic with Kutools AI

  • Smart Execution: Perform cell operations, analyze data, and create charts—all driven by simple commands.
  • Custom Formulas: Generate tailored formulas to streamline your workflows.
  • VBA Coding: Write and implement VBA code effortlessly.
  • Formula Interpretation: Understand complex formulas with ease.
  • Text Translation: Break language barriers within your spreadsheets.
Enhance your Excel capabilities with AI-powered tools. Download Now and experience efficiency like never before!

Best Office Productivity Tools

🤖 Kutools AI Aide: Revolutionize data analysis based on: Intelligent Execution   |  Generate Code  |  Create Custom Formulas  |  Analyze Data and Generate Charts  |  Invoke Kutools Functions…
Popular Features: Find, Highlight or Identify Duplicates   |  Delete Blank Rows   |  Combine Columns or Cells without Losing Data   |   Round without Formula ...
Super Lookup: Multiple Criteria VLookup  |   Multiple Value VLookup  |   VLookup Across Multiple Sheets   |   Fuzzy Lookup ....
Advanced Drop-down List: Quickly Create Drop Down List   |  Dependent Drop Down List   |  Multi-select Drop Down List ....
Column Manager: Add a Specific Number of Columns  |  Move Columns  |  Toggle Visibility Status of Hidden Columns  |  Compare Ranges & Columns ...
Featured Features: Grid Focus   |  Design View   |   Big Formula Bar   |  Workbook & Sheet Manager   |  Resource Library (Auto Text)   |  Date Picker   |  Combine Worksheets   |  Encrypt/Decrypt Cells   |  Send Emails by List   |  Super Filter   |   Special Filter (filter bold/italic/strikethrough...) ...
Top 15 Toolsets:  12 Text Tools (Add Text, Remove Characters, ...)   |   50+ Chart Types (Gantt Chart, ...)   |   40+ Practical Formulas (Calculate age based on birthday, ...)   |   19 Insertion Tools (Insert QR Code, Insert Picture from Path, ...)   |   12 Conversion Tools (Numbers to Words, Currency Conversion, ...)   |   7 Merge & Split Tools (Advanced Combine Rows, Split Cells, ...)   |   ... and more
Use Kutools in your preferred language – supports English, Spanish, German, French, Chinese, and 40+ others!

Supercharge Your Excel Skills with Kutools for Excel, and Experience Efficiency Like Never Before. Kutools for Excel Offers Over 300 Advanced Features to Boost Productivity and Save Time.  Click Here to Get The Feature You Need The Most...

Office Tab Brings Tabbed interface to Office, and Make Your Work Much Easier

  • Enable tabbed editing and reading in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Access, Visio and Project.
  • Open and create multiple documents in new tabs of the same window, rather than in new windows.
  • Increases your productivity by 50%, and reduces hundreds of mouse clicks for you every day!