if and / or

  • Thread starter Thread starter april
  • Start date Start date
A

april

col a col b col c
6000
-- 6000
i have a this formula in Col C if(a>0,"debit","credit"). however, there are
rows where there is nothing in columns A or B so i want Col C to be blank

thanks in advance for your help

aprilshowers
 
Assuming the formula you posted just has a typo, use:

=if(count(a1:b1)<2,"",if(a1>0,"debit","credit"))

Regards,
Fred
 
well your solution is certainly a lot simpler than the one i finally came up
with =IF(AND(ISBLANK(D9),ISBLANK(E9))," ",IF(D9>0,"debit","credit"))

thanks for your help
 
There are usually several ways to solve any given problem in Excel. Unless
you're really pressing for the ultimate in speed and 'economy', then my rule
of thumb is:
if it works, and you understand it and can maintain it, use it.
 
One note, and it was sparked by a comment 'Mike H' made:

you seem to have a (bad) habit if inserting a
space
" " instead of a null string "" for the false condition. As a general rule
it is better to return a NULL string for your false condition.

I agree with him on that, as does David Biddulph, see this discussion:

http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...misc&mid=e3db734d-f191-4b94-aa3b-53a7e400e3b9

As David Biddulph explained in that same discussion:
There is a difference between a space " " and the null string "". Strictly
neither of these is the same as a blank cell, but a test for ="" will return
TRUE for either a blank cell or a cell in which "" is returned by a formula,
so I would support Mike's recommendation that you use "", and not " ".
 
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