#VALUE! Error in CONCATENATE: Complete Troubleshooting Guide
#VALUE!CONCATENATE# Understanding #VALUE! Errors in CONCATENATE The CONCATENATE function is one of Excel's most straightforward tools for joining text strings, yet it frequently triggers the frustrating #VALUE! error. This happens because CONCATENATE is surprisingly sensitive to the data types it receives—particularly when you attempt to combine text with certain formula results, error values, or improperly formatted numbers. The good news? This is one of the most common and easiest-to-solve formula errors you'll encounter. In the vast majority of cases, a simple adjustment to how you're referencing or formatting your data will eliminate the problem entirely. Whether you're dealing with hidden errors, incompatible data types, or formula conflicts, the solutions are straightforward and quick to implement. This guide walks you through the most frequent causes of #VALUE! in CONCATENATE and shows you exactly how to fix them.
Why CONCATENATE causes #VALUE!
Error value passed from referenced cell
One or more of the cells referenced in CONCATENATE contains an error (like #N/A, #REF!, #DIV/0!). CONCATENATE cannot process error values and will return #VALUE!.
=CONCATENATE(A1,B1,C1) where B1 contains =VLOOKUP(...) that returns #N/ANon-text value from formula result
A referenced cell contains a formula result that CONCATENATE interprets as an incompatible data type, or the formula itself returns an error-like state. This is rare in modern Excel but can occur with certain array formula outputs.
=CONCATENATE(A1,IFERROR(B1:B5,"")) where the array range causes a type mismatchCircular reference or unresolved cell reference
CONCATENATE references a cell that contains a circular reference or an unresolved external link, preventing the cell value from being evaluated properly.
=CONCATENATE(A1,B1) where B1 contains =CONCATENATE(A1,B1) creating a circular dependencyStep-by-Step Solution
- 1Click on the cell displaying the #VALUE! error to select it, then look at the formula bar (Ctrl+` to toggle formula view if needed) to see the exact CONCATENATE formula
- 2Identify which argument in CONCATENATE contains a non-text value—check for cells with formulas that return errors (like #N/A, #REF!, #DIV/0!), or logical values (TRUE/FALSE)
- 3For any argument returning an error, wrap it in IFERROR() with an empty string or default text: =CONCATENATE(IFERROR(A1,""),B1,C1)
- 4For logical values or numbers, convert them explicitly using TEXT() function: =CONCATENATE(TEXT(A1,"0"),B1) or wrap in TRIM() if spaces are causing issues
- 5Check each cell reference for hidden line breaks or special characters by clicking the cell and pressing Ctrl+H to open Find & Replace, then search for line breaks (Ctrl+J in Find field)
- 6Replace CONCATENATE with the ampersand operator (&) as a simpler alternative: =A1&B1&C1 (this often handles mixed data types better)
- 7Press Enter to execute the corrected formula and verify the #VALUE! error is resolved
- 8If the error persists, select the problematic cell and use Ctrl+Shift+F9 to recalculate all formulas in the workbook
Concrete Example
Customer Invoice Line Item Generation
A billing department uses CONCATENATE to create invoice descriptions by combining product names, quantities, and unit prices into a single line item field for customer invoices.
Before (error)
=CONCATENATE(A2," - Qty: ",B2," @ $",C2)After (fixed)
=CONCATENATE(A2," - Qty: ",TEXT(B2,"0")," @ $",TEXT(C2,"$0.00"))Problem: The #VALUE! error appears because the Quantity column (B) contains text values like 'N/A' or 'Pending' instead of numbers in some rows, and CONCATENATE attempts to process these non-numeric values when they should be treated as text.
Solution: Use TEXT() function to convert all values to text format before concatenating, or use IFERROR() to handle non-numeric quantities gracefully. Alternatively, use the ampersand (&) operator which handles mixed data types better than CONCATENATE.
Prevention Tip
Ensure all arguments in CONCATENATE are text values or cells containing text; convert numbers using TEXT() function if needed, such as CONCATENATE(TEXT(A1,"0.00")," units") to avoid #VALUE! errors from mixed data types.
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