Introduction

FORMULATEXT function in excel is a Math/Trig function. It is a worksheet function. This function is used to retrieve a formula from a reference in form of a text string.

Syntax

=FORMULATEXT(Reference)

Arguments

• Reference- t is the reference made to a range or cell.

Keynotes

• Reference argument can be from other worksheet also.
• If the other worksheet to which reference is made is not open, #N/A error is displayed.
• If the reference is made two an entire range, the value in the uppermost left cell is returned.
• If the cell to which reference is made do not have any formula, #N/A error is displayed.
• If the reference cell contains more than 8192 characters, #N/A error is displayed. 
• #VALUE! error is displayed invalid data format is used.
• FORMULATEXT function was introduced in the Excel 2013 and available only in later versions.

Examples

In the following example, a table of items is given in column A and its value is given in column B. In column C these values are added using formula like =B4+B5 etc. And the formula is retrieved using FORMULATEXT function in the column D.