Excel - IF Function Problem - Expert Solution

Question description:
This user has given permission to use the problem statement for this blog.

I have a question on an IF BLANK statement.
Solved by C. L. in 28 mins
This is the chat thread from the real Excelchat help session. It contains no private user information.
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:14
Hello
User 10/08/2018 - 01:14
Hello
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:14
How are you?
User 10/08/2018 - 01:14
I Hi, fine thank you.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:15
I don't know if this request is possible or not...
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:15
Nice to hear that.
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:15
Please tell me and I will try my level best to assist you.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:15
I manage a large spreadsheet set up in a table an dlots of data feeds into it via lookups, etc.
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:15
Ok.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:15
There are several columns where people make manual updates.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:16
This is a list of projects that we are tracking on the spreadsheet.
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:16
Ok
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:17
Please tell me further.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:17
I was asked on one of the columns (a manual entry column) to do a formula where the field defaults to "No" until the person goes in an enters a date in the cell.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:18
so the cell has to have the MM/DD/YYYY format
User 10/08/2018 - 01:18
so the only thing that can be typed in that field is a date. Yet the cell is to default to "no" automatically first, until a date is entered.
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:19
so basically we are looking for a column to show No as default until the date is entered in the format MM/DD/YYY
User 10/08/2018 - 01:19
correct
User 10/08/2018 - 01:20
it's a column for project managers and they will see a big fat NO in this column which is for an important milestone, until they update it with a completion date.
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:20
Ok.
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:22
Please allow me to check few things.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:23
ugh so this makes it more complicated...there is already a formula in the field. I misspoke earlier when I said it was a manual field. Should I send you file with the formula?
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:23
Yes, that would help
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:23
Please share the file so that I can relate with it.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:23
sorry, just give me a sec and I will send.
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:24
Ok.
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:24
There is a way around
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:24
if you want to hear this.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:24
okay
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:25
we can keep the cell colored using conditional formatting until data is manually entered or until we have the desired result of the formula.
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:26
But please share the file, looking at formula, I might able to do something as per your requirement as this is working through formula.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:26
my sorry I had to strip some data. Just about done.
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:26
No problem. Please take your time.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:29
I think this is going to be too confusing. shoot.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:29
I need more time to prepare a dummy file. Here is something I did real quick
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:29
Ok. Please send it across.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:29
but there are tons of tabs this spreadsheet feeds from which all I am giving you is a copy of the final tab.
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:30
Ok.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:30
the column I am needing this functionality on is column W
[Uploaded an Excel file]
User 10/08/2018 - 01:30
the current formula in column W is :
User 10/08/2018 - 01:30
=IFERROR(IF(INDEX('Daniel PDS'!Y:Y,MATCH($A2,'Daniel PDS'!J:J,0))="","",INDEX('Daniel PDS'!Y:Y,MATCH($A2,'Daniel PDS'!J:J,0))),"")
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:31
Let me open the file
User 10/08/2018 - 01:31
of which the tab Daniel PDS is not included in what I sent you
User 10/08/2018 - 01:31
you're a genius if you can figure this all out! lol
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:31
Ok. allow me a minute
User 10/08/2018 - 01:32
of course
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:32
so these dates are populated using the above formula
User 10/08/2018 - 01:33
yes so the sequence would be ....populate column with the date from that formula if there is one available
User 10/08/2018 - 01:33
if not, populate with NO
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:33
Ok.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:33
Lastly, the person should be able to go in and replace NO with a date.
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:33
Manually?
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:34
replacing No manually means - deleting the formula.
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:35
=IFERROR(IF(INDEX('Daniel PDS'!Y:Y,MATCH($A2,'Daniel PDS'!J:J,0))="","No",INDEX('Daniel PDS'!Y:Y,MATCH($A2,'Daniel PDS'!J:J,0))),"No")
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:35
use this formula, it will give you a "No", if date is not found in Column J on Daniel PDS.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:37
maybe I was making it too complicated. okay, then I guess I set the format to date so they can only enter in the cell with a date format?
User 10/08/2018 - 01:38
or can I do some Data Validation ?
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:38
You can do Data Validation
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:38
this will not allow user to enter anything else other than date
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:38
and you can set the date format
User 10/08/2018 - 01:40
okay I didn't know if I could do the date format data validation considering there are "no's" in some cells.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:40
okay
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:40
Go to data validation, in the Allow section - Select - date then in the Data section: choose as per your requirement like greater than or less than or between,
User 10/08/2018 - 01:41
I gives me the green triangle errors....
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:41
You enter the formula first and then do the data validation
User 10/08/2018 - 01:41
but I guess I just select "ignore errors"?
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:41
Yes, if everything is working fine, you can ignore errors.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:42
okay thank you very much.
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:42
I hope, I could help as much as I can with the limited information I have.
User 10/08/2018 - 01:42
yes it was great.thanks!
Excelchat Expert 10/08/2018 - 01:42
I appreciate your patience.

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