Why does “You’ve entered too many arguments for this function” appear?
When using functions in Excel, you may encounter the error message “You’ve entered too many arguments for this function.” This error occurs when the number of arguments exceeds what the function is designed to handle. In this article, we’ll explain the causes of this error and provide specific solutions with examples.
Cause: Specifying more arguments than the function allows
Each Excel function has a predefined number of arguments it can accept. If you input more arguments than allowed, the error “You’ve entered too many arguments for this function” will appear. For example, the IF function only accepts up to 3 arguments. Adding a fourth argument will result in an error.
Example: Error in the IF function
Consider the following example, where we want to check whether the value in cell A1 is 10 or greater and display “10 or more” if true, or “less than 10” otherwise.
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | =IF(A1>=10, “10 or more”, “less than 10”, “Error”) |
In this formula, a fourth argument, “Error,” is added to the IF function. However, the IF function only accepts up to 3 arguments, so the error “You’ve entered too many arguments for this function” is triggered.
The correct structure for the IF function is as follows: =IF(logical_test, [value_if_true], [value_if_false]).
Solution: Verify the number of arguments and remove unnecessary ones
To fix the “too many arguments” error, review the function’s structure and ensure the number of arguments does not exceed the allowed limit. Use the function tooltip displayed below the formula bar as a reference when inputting the formula.
Steps to resolve the error
- Check the formula in the cell where the error occurs and verify the number of arguments.
- For the IF function, ensure that no more than 3 arguments are specified. Remove any additional arguments.
- For example, update the formula to =IF(A1>=10, “10 or more”, “less than 10”) to fix the error.
- The result will display “less than 10” for the example above.
Examples with other functions
This error can also occur with functions other than IF, such as VLOOKUP or MATCH. These functions also have a predefined number of arguments they can accept. Below is a table summarizing some common functions and their argument limits:
| Function | Number of Arguments | Description |
|---|---|---|
| IF | Up to 3 | Condition, value if true, value if false |
| VLOOKUP | Up to 4 | Lookup value, range, column index, match type |
| MATCH | Up to 3 | Lookup value, lookup range, match type |
Summary
If Excel displays the error “You’ve entered too many arguments for this function,” it’s likely because the number of arguments exceeds the function’s limit. Check the allowed number of arguments for the function, and remove unnecessary ones to resolve the issue. By understanding each function’s structure, you can use Excel more effectively.