Data Cleaningbeginner
Check for empty cells with ISBLANK
=IF(ISBLANK(A2),"Missing","OK")
Function reference
ISBLANK in Excel & Google Sheets
ISBLANK is used in 1 formula pattern in this library. Browse worked examples below, or use the generator to build a custom variation for your specific data.
1 beginnerBuild a custom ISBLANK formula →
When to use ISBLANK
- Flag rows with missing data, skip blank cells in a calculation, or trigger conditional formatting when required fields are left unfilled.
Worked examples (1)
Common errors with ISBLANK
ISBLANK returns FALSE for a visually empty cell
The cell may contain a space, an empty string from a formula (=""), or a non-printable character. ISBLANK only returns TRUE for cells with absolutely no content. Use LEN(A2)=0 instead to catch empty strings as well.
ISBLANK vs checking for empty string
A formula result of "" looks blank but ISBLANK returns FALSE. Use A2="" to catch both truly blank cells and formula-generated empty strings.
Frequently asked questions
How do I count blank cells in a range?
Use COUNTBLANK(A2:A100) to count all empty cells in the range. It counts both truly blank cells and cells containing an empty string.
Need a custom variation?
Describe your specific ISBLANK problem and get a formula written for your exact data.
Open generator with ISBLANK