1 files changed, 11 insertions, 1 deletions
diff --git a/quality_control/utils.py b/quality_control/utils.py
index 0072608..67301d6 100644
--- a/quality_control/utils.py
+++ b/quality_control/utils.py
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 """Utilities that might be useful elsewhere."""
-
+import re
 from collections import namedtuple
 
+from .errors import InvalidValue
+
 ProgressIndicator = namedtuple(
     "ProgressIndicator", ("filesize", "processedsize", "currentline", "percent"))
 
@@ -19,3 +21,11 @@ def make_progress_calculator(filesize: int):
             ((processedsize/filesize) * 100))
 
     return __calculator__
+
+def cell_error(pattern, val, **error_kwargs):
+    "Return the error in the cell"
+    if re.search(pattern, val):
+        return None
+    if re.search(r"^0\.0+$", val) or re.search("^0+$", val):
+        return None
+    return InvalidValue(**error_kwargs)