Formula returns Error value - fix?

[jos]

year	£'000
2012
operating profit	1000
admin costs	3000
cos	210
2013
operating profit	1500
admin costs	0
cos	0
I want 'average operating margin %' i.e. operating profit/(admin+cos)*100
FORMULA			RESULT	BUT RESULT SHOULD BE
=((C4/(C5+C6)*100)+(C9/(C10+C11)*100))/2		#DIV/0!	0.16
My problem - because we are dividing by 0 at (C10+C11), my formula returns an error (as expected)
What is the fix to my formula so it displays the correct result? Is it to use the logical IF and IS ERROR functions? If so please show me the fix
nb I do not want to display any intermediate steps. I want to go straight from my data column to a column which displays the result
Thank you.

 

[Pecoflyer]

Up to XL 2003 = IF(ISERROR(your_formula),"",your_formula) Post 2003 versions =IFERROR(your_formula,"")

 

[jos]

I believe this would display only " " as opposed to the value im expecting.Thats exactly why im stuck., Logically this formula once it reaches
IF true...then " "
will not proceed to any calculation, i.e. the second part of the formula.

?

 

[Sixthsense]

Hi jos,

Please show it in excel

 

[Pecoflyer]

How do you obtain 0.16 with the given data ?

 

[jos]

@Pecorflyer I got 0.16 as follows
[1000/(3000+210) + 1500/(0+0)] / 2

Also, as I'm using Excel 2010, I tried your suggestion =IFERROR(your_formula,""). It does not work for what I want to achieve. Either that or I am not applying it correctly. Anyway, I think maybe it's better to abandon this made up example and to show an extract from my real life spreadsheet instead. See new thread entitled
Formula returns Error value - fix? (reposted)

 

[jos]

Formula returns Error value - fix? (reposted with attachment)

My formula, in the attached spreadsheet, returns an error value, as shown.
However, each time the scenario is as given, I would like to return a value based on a modification of the original formula. I hope my notes in the attachment express adequately my requirement.

Thank you

 

[Sixthsense]

Theerrors in your formula is highlighted below

In E5 Cell
n.a.

In F5 Cell
n.a.

In G5 Cell
n.a.

You AA5 Cell Formula

=SUM(((7/12*J5)/(7/12*(K5+L5)))*7+((5/12*E5)/(5/12*(F5+G5)))*5 )/12*100

 

[jos]

@sixthsense. Thank you. I am aware E5, F5 and G5 are picking up n.a.'s

So I want to know is, what do I have to do to my formula, using any logical functions available in excel, to give the instruction, IF my formula "=SUM(((7/12*J5)/(7/12*(K5+L5)))*7+((5/12*E5)/(5/12*(F5+G5)))*5 )/12*100" results in an error value, then perform the alternative formula "E5/(F5+G5)*100"

Please can anyone help?

 

[jos]

sorted! see attachment
thank you for your contributions....

 

[Sixthsense]

You can use Sum(), Product() which will handle the Text data nicely

 

[jos]

I didnt know this. I will experiment...
thank you