title: Have Excel formulas that return 0, make the result blank
body: <p>A recurring Excel problem I have is formulas such as <code>INDEX(array,row,column)</code> that return 0 when there's no result, rather than returning blank.</p>
  
  <p>What is the best way to change the zero result to blank?</p>
  
  <p>Here are approaches that I have tried so far:</p>
  
  <p>1) Using division by zero. If INDEX returns 0, I cause an error that I then filter out.</p>
  
  <pre><code>=IFERROR(1/1/INDEX(A,B,C),"")
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>CONS: Makes the formula more messy and hides errors you may want to see.</p>
  
  <p>2) Using custom formatting</p>
  
  <pre><code>0;-0;;@
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>CONS:<br> 
  1) can't simultaneously apply date format<br>
  2) It doesn't work with conditional formatting when it comes to checking for blank cells (there is still the value of zero, it's just not shown)</p>
  
  <p>3) Using<code>IF</code> statements</p>
  
  <pre><code>=IF((1/1/INDEX(A,B,C))&lt;&gt;"",(1/1/INDEX(A,B,C)),"")
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>CONS: Messy repetition</p>
  
  <p>Does anyone have any other/better ideas?</p>