Forum Discussion
disappearing text
I have a large Excel spreadsheet that I use every day to track social media advertising. It has 2 rows at the top and 3 columns at the left that I typically keep frozen so I can fill in information in the middle. Those top 2 rows are highlighted in pink, and text from the cells there randomly seems to disappear. I can click on the cells and see the text inside them in the formula bar. I can also click on the row number at the far left and change all the text to be black automatically. That will briefly fix it, but it goes right back pretty quickly. I think I have some conditional formatting at work - I asked someone for help with a formula that would keep me from entering the same date in the same column. Right now, if I enter a date that is today or in the future, the whole cell turns yellow. If I enter a date that is a duplicate of one in the same column, the cell turns green. I don't have the formula anymore, unfortunately (wish I did, as I need to apply it again to added sections). Can someone walk me through the steps of fixing the disappearing text, please?
5 Replies
Stay on any cell within the range and check what are conditional formatting rules applied to the range. If you share if not sample file or at least screenshots we may discuss details.
I have a same problem. Could you check it for me please. Is there any conditional range to hide cell. I do not understand why the cell still empty even I put the formula in the bar.
regards,
Unur
IFERROR returns empty string since INDIRECT returns an error. Sheet name shall be used with single apostrophes, like 'Sheet One'!A1. Exception is for one-word sheet names.
In your case
=IFERROR( INDEX(INDIRECT("'" & J4 & "'!$I12:$I1011" ),H4), "" )shall work.
Addressing Disappearing Text in Excel Spreadsheet
The disappearing text issue in your Excel spreadsheet could be caused by a few factors, including formatting conflicts and conditional formatting rules. Here's how to troubleshoot and potentially fix the problem:
1. Check Formatting Conflicts:
- Right-click on a cell where the text is disappearing and choose "Format Cells."
- Go to the "Font" tab and check the following:
- Font color: Ensure it's set to a visible color like black, not white or similar to your cell fill color.
- Strikethrough or Hidden: Verify that neither of these options is checked.
2. Manage Conditional Formatting:
- Go to the "Home" tab and click "Conditional Formatting."
- Select "Manage Rules" to view all applied rules.
- Look for any rules that might be causing the text to disappear based on their formatting settings. For example, a rule might be hiding text when a certain condition is met.
- If you find a rule affecting the disappearing text, you can:
- Modify the rule to change the formatting applied instead of hiding the text.
- Delete the rule if it's no longer needed.
3. Disable Automatic Calculation:
- Go to the "File" tab and choose "Options."
- Click on "Formulas" in the left-hand pane.
- Under "Calculation options," uncheck "Automatic" if it's selected.
- Click "OK" to save the changes. This might temporarily stop the text from disappearing, but it has its drawbacks (calculations only update manually).
4. Repair Corrupted File (Last Resort):
- If none of the above solutions work, your file might be corrupted. Try saving it as a new file and see if the issue persists.
- Alternatively, you can use the "Repair" function:
- Go to "File" > "Info."
- Click on "Check for Errors" and choose "Repair" from the options.
Additional Tips:
- Restart your computer and update Excel to the latest version if possible.
- Consult with the person who helped you create the conditional formatting rule. They might have insights into its purpose and potential conflicts.
- Consider using a dedicated task management tool for scheduling and tracking social media advertising instead of relying solely on Excel for this purpose.
By following these steps and considering these tips, you should be able to identify the cause of the disappearing text and hopefully, resolve the issue in your Excel spreadsheet.
smylbugti222gmailcomThere's no conditional formatting in the rows that disappear - that's in the section below those rows. The font checks out - nothing hidden or weird, and it's set to automatic black text. I didn't try the fix having to do with formulas since other worksheets in this same workbook rely heavily on formulas to work. I have 365, so the updates are automatic, and I regularly restart.
I added a bunch of things to the spreadsheet yesterday and also used the data sort to alphabetize the columns. I'm not noticing the issue as of right now, but it's so flaky and intermittent that that could just be a fluke. Thanks for the tips.
