FALSE

What it does

FALSE()

FALSE() returns the logical value FALSE. It takes no arguments. The literal FALSE can be written directly in a formula or cell with the same purpose; Microsoft retains the function primarily for compatibility with other spreadsheet programs.

FALSE is a logical value, distinct from numeric zero, the text "FALSE", and an empty cell. A later operation may convert it to a number, but that conversion belongs to the operation consuming the value.

Try it

Calculate =FALSE(), then try =ISLOGICAL(FALSE()) and =ISNUMBER(FALSE()) to inspect its kind. Use =N(FALSE()) to request a numeric conversion explicitly.

Quirks

A valid call has no input-dependent error. A call such as FALSE(0) has the wrong argument count; handling an invalid formula is separate from calculating a valid constant.

Do not use FALSE as a substitute for a missing value. ISBLANK(FALSE()) and an actual blank cell answer different questions. Likewise, "FALSE" is text until a particular consumer chooses to interpret it.

How to implement

Check that the call has zero arguments and return a tagged logical false value. Do not return numeric 0: TYPE, ISLOGICAL, ISNUMBER and comparisons can observe the distinction.

A compiler may fold the call to a logical literal if that preserves the formula representation and any evaluation tracing it promises. TRUE and FALSE can share this path with one boolean parameter. No floating-point arithmetic or clock is needed.

Rust code

constant(FALSE, "FALSE", false_value)

/// FALSE: the logical FALSE.
fn false_value(_: &[CalcValue], _: &mut EvalServices<'_>) -> Result<CalcValue, FunctionFault> {
    Ok(CalcValue::logical(false))
}

No implementation has been published with a Handbook test suite for this function.

Version differences

The recorded environments below distinguish a reading from a same-input comparison. Counts describe captured inputs in each environment; overlapping captures and comparisons are not totals of unique worksheet calls.

The record contains no same-input comparison between these environments. Reading different inputs on different builds does not establish either a version change or cross-build agreement.

Recorded environments and comparison details.

Alternatives

Write the literal FALSE in ordinary formulas. TRUE is the opposite constant; NOT negates a logical test. NA is an explicit unavailable-value marker when that is the intended meaning, and is an error rather than a logical value.

Named variants

No named variants are recorded yet.