Nested IF that will ignore blank (empty) cells

  • Thread starter Thread starter Struggling in Sheffield
  • Start date Start date
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Struggling in Sheffield

Hi,
I have a simple nested IF function (Excel 2003) which compares numbers in
two cells, then returns a word depending on whether one number is greater
than, equal to, or less than the other:

=IF(F3>G3,"Yes",IF(F3=G3,"Equal",IF(F3<G3,"No")))

Either (or both) of the compared cells might contain the number 0 (zero) in
which case I want the IF function to display the appropriate word.

However if the compared cells are blank (have no data in them), my
unsophisticated IF function thinks that F3=G3 and returns the word "Equal".

How can I get the IF function to remain blank when my compared cells (F3 &
G3) are blank?

Cheers,
Steve Sharpe.
 
does this do what you want

=IF(OR(F3="",G3=""),"",IF(F3>G3,"Yes",IF(F3=G3,"Equal",IF(F3<G3,"No"))))

if any of the cells are blank, it will remain blank.

HTH

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Thank You

cheers, francis
 
Hi,
Sorry but this doesn't work.

Pecoflyer said:
Try=if(and(g3="",f3=""),"",IF(F3>G3,"Yes",IF(F3=G3,"Equal",IF(F3<G3,"No")))


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Pecoflyer

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Click to expand...
 
Hi,
Sorry but this doesn't work.

xlmate said:
does this do what you want

=IF(OR(F3="",G3=""),"",IF(F3>G3,"Yes",IF(F3=G3,"Equal",IF(F3<G3,"No"))))

if any of the cells are blank, it will remain blank.

HTH

--
Pls provide your feedback by clicking the Yes button below if this post have
help you. This will help others to search the archives for result better.


Thank You

cheers, francis
Click to expand...
 
Can you describe "doesn't work" for us? What did you have in the cells, what
did the formula produce and what did you think the formula should have
produced? Telling us that would be far more helpful than just saying
"doesn't work".
 
Hi Rick,
The present nested IF I'm using:

=IF(F3>G3,"Yes",IF(F3=G3,"Equal",IF(F3<G3,"No")))

works OK, it compares two numbers (in F3 & G3) and returns the word "Yes",
"Equal", or "No" depending on whether the number in F3 is greater than, equal
to, or less than the number in G3.

The problem with it is that if F3 & G3 have no data in them, it still
compares F3 & G3 to gives me the word "Equal". I need it to remain blank when
F3 or G3 is blank.

When I type in either of the two functions suggested:

=IF(OR(F3="",G3=""),"",IF(F3>G3,"Yes",IF(F3=G3,"Equal",IF(F3<G3,"No"))))
&
=IF(AND(F3="",G3=""),"",IF(F3>G3,"Yes",IF(F3=G3,"Equal",IF(F3<G3,"No"))))

Both functions just sit in the cell like I'd entered some text, the
spreadsheet doesn't seem to recognise them as functions. I don't even get a
function error message.

Cheers,
Steve.
 
That could happen if the cells were formatted as Text before you put the formulas in the cell. I'm still not entirely clear which formula you actually need (although I think it is the AND one), but try this to correct the problem. Put the formula into the cell, then Format the cell as General, then click into the formula in the FORMULA BAR (not the cell) and hit the Enter key. Doing that should convert the cell back to a formula which should then do what you want.
 
Hi Rick,
I've had another look at this and found it's the cell being formatted for
"text" rather than "general" that's the issue. The expressions work when I
reformat the cell to general.
Many thanks for all your inputs.
Steve Sharpe.
 
Hi,
Thanks for your help, couldn't get it to work at first as the cell was
formatted for "text", not "general", so it thought I was entering text and
not a function.
Flippin' hard work this Excel business!
Thanks again,
Steve Sharpe.
 
Hi,
Thanks for your help, I couldn't get it to work at first as the cell was
formatted for "text" and not "general", so it thought I was entering text and
not a function.
I don't call myself 'Struggling in Sheffield' for nothing.
Thanks again.
 
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