# Why does IFS return #N/A when no condition is met?

IFS has nothing to return when every test is FALSE. End it with TRUE and a default: =IFS(B2<0,"Overdue",B2<=1,"Urgent",B2<=7,"This week",TRUE,"Later").

**Excel:** `=IFS(B2<0,"Overdue",B2<=1,"Urgent",B2<=7,"This week",TRUE,"Later")` (Excel 2019 and later, including Microsoft 365)

**Google Sheets:** the same formula works.

## Example

Sample data (row 1 is the header):

| A | B | C |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Task | Days until due | Priority |
| Invoice run | 0 |  |
| Audit prep | 3 |  |
| Budget review | 12 |  |
| Board deck | -2 |  |
| Vendor renewal | 45 |  |
| Team survey | 8 |  |

Formula in C2, filled to C7: `=IFS(B2<0,"Overdue",B2<=1,"Urgent",B2<=7,"This week",TRUE,"Later")`

Result: Urgent; This week; Later; Overdue; Later; Later

## How it works

IFS returns the result for the first test that is TRUE. When none is, it has nothing to return and gives #N/A, which is what happens to tasks more than 7 days out without the last pair. TRUE as the final test is always TRUE, so it works as the "else" for everything left.

## Other ways

- `=IF(B2<0,"Overdue",IF(B2<=1,"Urgent",IF(B2<=7,"This week","Later")))`: Nested IFs always end with a FALSE result, so they can't run out of cases.
- `=IFNA(IFS(B2<0,"Overdue",B2<=1,"Urgent",B2<=7,"This week"),"Later")`: Catches the #N/A instead of adding a default. It works, but TRUE is clearer.

## Common mistakes

- Put the TRUE pair last: any pair after it is never reached.
- SWITCH has the same problem without a default. Add a final lone value: `SWITCH(A2,"N","North","Other")`.

## Questions

**Is there an ELSE in IFS?**

Not by name; `TRUE,"Later"` as the last pair does the job.

**Does IFS work the same in Google Sheets?**

Yes, including the #N/A when nothing matches.

Every formula and result on this page was checked by running it in the Spreadsheet Practice formula engine on 2026-10-30.

Source: https://spreadsheetpractice.com/formulas/ifs-returns-na