Handling the SPILL Error
Diagnose and fix blocked spill ranges in your sheet.
What the SPILL Error Means
When a dynamic array formula cannot lay out its full result, Excel shows #SPILL! in the anchor cell. The formula is usually correct; the problem is that something is in the way of where the results need to go.
Think of it like trying to park a bus in a space already holding a car. The bus is fine, but the spot is blocked.
Cause 1: Cells in the Way
The most common cause is that one or more cells in the spill range already contain data. If =UNIQUE(A2:A12) needs to fill C1:C3 but C2 holds a stray value, the spill is blocked.
The fix is simple: select the anchor cell, look at the dashed spill outline, and clear any cells inside it that are not empty.
=UNIQUE(A2:A12)All lessons in this course
- What Spilling Means
- Filtering Data With FILTER
- Removing Duplicates With UNIQUE
- Handling the SPILL Error