Just what are you trying to calculate? I've never seen a formula like that.

Go into Format Cell and make sure the cell is formatted to show the number "0". Otherwise the value "0" will show as a blank cell.

Your formula worked perfectly when I pasted it into Excel. Have a look in the Tools... Options menu, View tab and make sure the 'Display zero values' is selected. You could also try this formula: =IF(ISBLANK(A2),0,A2) ALSO, you don't need the inverted commas round the zero.

try capitalizing the IF -- I have no idea why but this works for me

I'm a bit confused by this only because I don't know where this formula is located. If you're trying to enter this formula AT cell A2, which seems like what the Q says, then it absolutely will not work. In the first place, it's a circular reference, where the value in the cell ... depends on the cell itself. Excel can't resolve that. Now, if your formula is located on any other worksheet cell besides A2, it's a valid formula and should work correctly. But you may not realize what's REALLY in A2 to start with. For example, if you already have a formula in A2 that results in a value, then the only way you'll get "0" from your formula is if that computed value is ... "". For worksheet cells OTHER THAN cell A2, the formula that Brian gave you above is the correct one: =if( isblank( A2), 0, A2) I think that Brian also told you that you don't need the "" around the 0, which is correct. In fact, if you DO put the "" around the 0, then it won't equate to "zero" any more (won't be useful in calculation), because it will now be the string value "0". In other words, no longer a number but a text / string value shown as "0". I hope this has helped to clarify a bit.