Numbers warnings

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Level 1

20 points

Numbers warnings

Hi,

I have modified a spreadsheet which previously had no blue corner flags and no red warning triangles. Because of the new calculations I have added, the sheet is covered with both of them. The problem seems to be to do with comparing numbers with strings. Nevertheless, when I fill in the sheet with dummy numbers, all the calcs work and the blue and red warnings disappear. If these warnings are only there to say ’things aren’t as we expect but we can and will do the calculation anyway’, is there a magic button somewhere that will suppress all these annoying warnings ?

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Apr 4, 2021 2:52 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Badunit

Level 7

28,636 points

Apr 4, 2021 5:31 AM in response to Stylax

I know of no way to turn them off, other than correcting the formulas. We can help you with that if you need it. You may be correct that they are saying "things aren’t as we expect but we can and will do the calculation anyway’" but they may also be saying "we'll do our best but the results might not be what you expect in all cases".

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Answer 2

Yellowbox

Level 7

21,331 points

Apr 4, 2021 3:54 AM in response to Stylax

Hi Stylax,

More information, please!

Please reply with a screen shot of a small part of your screen (shift command 4). Full screen shots (shift command 3) are often difficult to read.

To take a screen shot:

1. Remove or hide any personal details before taking the screen shot.

2. Hold down the shift and command keys, then type 4. The cursor will change to crosshairs.

3. Drag over the relevant part of your screen and then release the mouse/trackpad. You will hear a "camera shutter" sound. A screen shot will appear on your desktop. It will be named Screen Shot with a date & time.

4. In a reply to a message, click on the "Mountains" icon in the Toolbar below your reply:

5. Navigate to your Desktop, click on a screen shot file, then click on Choose.

Regards,

Ian.

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Answer 3

Stylax Author

Level 1

20 points

Apr 5, 2021 1:04 AM in response to Badunit

Hi Badunit

Can't disagree with your alternative interpretation but surely this is a weakness with Numbers ? It is some years since I last used Excel but I seem to recall that it would suggest corrections to formulae that were wrong ? Numbers does not do that. If there is a real problem with comparing a number and a string, I think it could be more helpful with (a) explaining more fully what the problem is as far as a calculation is concerned and (b) suggesting a correction which might lead to a Eureka moment !

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Answer 4

Stylax Author

Level 1

20 points

Apr 5, 2021 1:15 AM in response to Yellowbox

Hi Ian,

I think you rightly concluded I have never tried to paste a screen shot in an enquiry to the Apple Support Community before. I assumed that it must have displayed because of the message to carry on with text where I left off. Anyhow, I have moved on from wrestling with Conditional statements. I am trying to work out if the mass of blue flags and red triangles that my modifications have resulted in are actually telling me that the calculations will be wrong or just may be wrong. It seems that there is no way to switch these off but if my next inputs (checked with a calculator) give correct calculations, I am just going to assume that all future inputs are likely to be correct because the formulae were copied down the sheet. I have not been able to find anywhere that a blue flag or a red triangle means the calculation is definitely wrong and the fact that Numbers has accepted these formulae as being workable suggests that I just need to be careful with the results. Perhaps Number might catch up one day with the better help that Excel provides where formula input is concerned. Thanks for the tips on pasting a screenshot.

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Answer 5

Badunit

Level 7

28,636 points

Apr 5, 2021 5:26 AM in response to Stylax

I think you and I are remembering Excel very differently. The only "corrections" I ever get from Excel are misplaced parentheses when I forget one. Numbers does this too, and just as badly. The "suggestions" from both are about the same, like telling you if you don't have enough parameters (or too many) in an IF function and stuff like that. I've never see a suggestion like "your formula has been rewritten to put the VALUE function around the cell reference B2 to convert the string to a number for the comparison to other numbers" or "For this formula to work, all formulas in range C2:C200 have been completely rewritten to result in a number instead of a string" or "Referenced cell D2 has been reformatted from text to a number so that your formula does not fail". Those are the kinds of changes that are probably needed and no spreadsheet is going to do those things for you and doubtful any would even suggest them. Numbers told you the problem (comparing a string to a number). You see which referenced cells are strings and which are actual numbers. Go forth and fix it.

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