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ISTEXT

The ISTEXT function checks whether the value provided is a text string or not. It returns TRUE if the value is text and FALSE if it is any other data type. This function is commonly used when working with data sets that contain text and non-text values.

Usage

Use the ISTEXT formula with the syntax shown below, it has 1 required parameter:

=ISTEXT(value)
Parameters:
  1. value (required):
    The value to be checked for its data type.

Examples

Here are a few example use cases that explain how to use the ISTEXT formula in Google Sheets.

Checking for text values

The ISTEXT function can be used to check whether a cell contains a text value. This is useful when filtering data or performing calculations based on text values.

Validating input

When building forms or working with user input, the ISTEXT function can be used to validate whether the input is a text value or not. This can help to prevent errors and ensure that the data being input is of the expected type.

Conditional formatting

The ISTEXT function can be used in combination with conditional formatting to highlight cells that contain text values. This can be useful when working with large data sets or when trying to identify trends or patterns in the data.

Common Mistakes

ISTEXT not working? Here are some common mistakes people make when using the ISTEXT Google Sheets Formula:

Using ISTEXT on numerical values

ISTEXT returns FALSE if the value provided is a number or a cell with a numerical value. To check if a value is a number, use the ISNUMBER formula instead.

Not providing a value to ISTEXT formula

ISTEXT requires a value parameter to be provided. If no value is provided, the formula will return a #VALUE! error.

Using ISTEXT on a range of cells

ISTEXT can only be used on a single cell. If you try to use it on a range of cells, the formula will return a #VALUE! error. Instead, use an array formula with ISTEXT to check multiple cells at once.

Related Formulas

The following functions are similar to ISTEXT or are often used with it in a formula:

  • ISNUMBER

    The ISNUMBER formula is used to check if a given value is a number. It returns TRUE if the value is a number and FALSE if it is not. This formula is commonly used in data cleaning and validation to identify and remove non-numeric values or to ensure that a cell only contains a number.

  • ISBLANK

    The ISBLANK formula is used to check if a cell is empty. It returns TRUE if the cell is empty and FALSE if it contains any data or formula. This formula is commonly used in conditional formatting or data validation rules to ensure a cell is not left empty.

  • LEN

    The LEN formula in Google Sheets is used to count the number of characters in a given text string. It is commonly used to check the length of text inputs, or to find the length of a cell value or range.

Learn More

You can learn more about the ISTEXT Google Sheets function on Google Support.