Automatically add text to cell if blank

[SaraWitch]

Hello peeps,

I would like to automatically add the text "Target met" to a cell if it is blank (C1) and if a previous cell contains data (A1).

I have tried several ways, but nothing is working (I am usually ending up with a circular reference, even with a helper column because C1 is not technically blank as it contains the formula to return the text!).

Latest I've tried:

In the helper column (D):

=IF(AND(A1<>"", C1=""), "Target met", C1)

In the column I want the autotext if blank (C):

=IF(D1="Target met", "Target met", "")

Any suggestions?

 

[Cubist]

Is C1 the cell you're trying to return the text?

 

[SaraWitch]

Yes...

 

[Cubist]

Is there a reason why you want to check if C1 is blank? More context and example(s) would be helpful.

 

[SaraWitch]

No blank columns are allowed, so this column needs to have text. Users will update the cell with a reason if the target date is not met, but they are not completing it if the target is met. Just wanted to make it easy to automatically show 'Target met' if users don't update that cell.

Just trying to be fancy really, and will need to get my stick out to make people adhere to best practice if not!

 

[SaraWitch]

Ah, just thought of a way!! I've done a formula that if the number of days is below the target days, then return "Target met" !! Been a long day and I was overthinking it!

Thank you anyway!

 

[Cubist]

It sounds like you're trying to have the cells in C as both user input and formula. You cannot have both.

 

[SaraWitch]

Yeah, that's why I've come at it from a different approach (I'm not protecting the cell, so the user can overwrite it with a non-met reason if needed) - like I say, long day and not enough simple thinking!!

Thank you anyway, @Cubist...

 

[smozgur]

Ah, just thought of a way!! I've done a formula that if the number of days is below the target days, then return "Target met" !! Been a long day and I was overthinking it!

Good to hear you got the solution.
If you would like to post the solution formula you mentioned then it is perfectly fine to mark your post as the solution to help future readers. Otherwise, please do not mark a post that doesn't contain a solution.

 

[SaraWitch]

Oops! Sorry, @smozgur.

Number of days in which the work was finished are in column B and the target is 25 days, so in cell C1, I used:

=IF(A1<>"",IF(B1<=25,"Target met",""))

I didn't protect this cell, so it could be overwritten with a reason if the days are over 25.