How can I create an alternative to 28 levels of nested IF's?

[JeffGrant]

Hi All,

recently my model has started to give me Circular Errors that I have not had before. (Maybe because I did and Office 365 update). I read somewhere that if there are too many IF's that this could cause the problem. And indeed elsewhere in the model, I changed a multi level IF statement and that circular error was fixed. So I guess there is a truth to the statement.

However, in this case, I am not sure what to do. I have an equation which is 28 levels deep with a nested IF. All of the examples and videos I have seen using alternatives to Nested If's are very simplistic and don't really give me any help. The aim of this formula is to identify patterns in the numbers, such that:

If:
A4 = B4, B4 = C4, C4 = D4, the pattern is "same same same"

Or If
A4 < B4, B4 > C4, C4 < D4, the pattern is "up down up" and so on.

Currently, the nested IF's pulls out 26 different patterns.

I am not sure how to construct an IFS, CHOOSE or VLOOKUP equation that can replace this nested IF rats nest to fix the circular reference.

Can somebody please give me a big push into the direction I should be heading.

Thanks

Book2
	A	B	C	D	E
1
2	Numerical Equivalent from All Classes				Decider Equation
3	3	2	1	This Race
4	216	240	230	240	up down up
5	210	210	210	208	same same down
6	210	212	210	210	up down same
7	294	210	210	210	down same same
8	210	210	230	218	same up down
9	218	230	218	218	up down same
10	257	212	218	218	down up same
11	210	210	210	208	same same down
12	210	210	210	208	same same down
13	210	210	210	208	same same down
14	272	258	257	258	down down up
15	240	240	216		Do Not Bet
16	240	254	254	254	up same same
17	232	220	224	232	down up up
18	224	216	216	196	down same down
19	212	204	216	230	down up up
20	266	230	232	198	down up down
Sheet1

Cell Formulas
Range	Formula
E4:E13	E4	= IF(OR(A4="",B4="",C4="",D4=""),"Do Not Bet", IF(AND(A4=B4,A4=C4,A4=D4),"same same same",IF(AND(A4=B4,A4=C4,C4>D4),"same same down", IF(AND(A4>B4,B4<C4,D4<C4),"down up down",IF(AND(A4<B4,B4=C4,D4<C4),"up same down", IF(AND(A4>B4,B4=C4,B4=D4),"down same same",IF(AND(A4=B4,C4<B4,D4<C4),"same down down", IF(AND(A4=B4,B4<C4,D4=C4),"same up same",IF(AND(A4=B4,A4=C4,D4>C4),"same same up", IF(AND(A4<B4,B4=C4,C4=D4),"up same same",IF(AND(A4=B4,B4<C4,C4>D4),"same up down", IF(AND(A4>B4,B4>C4,C4=D4),"down down same",IF(AND(A4=B4,B4>C4,C4=D4),"same down same", IF(AND(A4<B4,B4<C4,C4>D4),"up up down",IF(AND(A4<B4,B4=C4,C4,D4),"up same up", IF(AND(A4>B4,B4<C4,C4=D4),"down up same",IF(AND(A4>B4,B4>C4,C4>D4),"down down down", IF(AND(A4>B4,B4<C4,C4<D4),"down up up",IF(AND(A4=B4,B4<C4,C4<D4),"same up up", IF(AND(A4=B4,B4>C4,C4<D4),"same down up",IF(AND(A4<B4,B4>C4,C4>D4),"up down down", IF(AND(A4>B4,B4=C4,C4<D4),"down same up",IF(AND(A4<B4,B4>C4,C4=D4),"up down same", IF(AND(A4<B4,B4<C4,C4<D4),"up up up",IF(AND(A4>B4,B4>C4,C4<D4),"down down up", IF(AND(A4<B4,B4>C4,C4<D4),"up down up",IF(AND(A4<B4,B4<C5,C4=D4),"up up same", IF(AND(A4>B4,B4=C4,C4>D4),"down same down","Do Not Bet"))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
E14	E14	= IF(OR(A14="",B14="",C14="",D14=""),"Do Not Bet", IF(AND(A14=B14,A14=C14,A14=D14),"same same same",IF(AND(A14=B14,A14=C14,C14>D14),"same same down", IF(AND(A14>B14,B14<C14,D14<C14),"down up down",IF(AND(A14<B14,B14=C14,D14<C14),"up same down", IF(AND(A14>B14,B14=C14,B14=D14),"down same same",IF(AND(A14=B14,C14<B14,D14<C14),"same down down", IF(AND(A14=B14,B14<C14,D14=C14),"same up same",IF(AND(A14=B14,A14=C14,D14>C14),"same same up", IF(AND(A14<B14,B14=C14,C14=D14),"up same same",IF(AND(A14=B14,B14<C14,C14>D14),"same up down", IF(AND(A14>B14,B14>C14,C14=D14),"down down same",IF(AND(A14=B14,B14>C14,C14=D14),"same down same", IF(AND(A14<B14,B14<C14,C14>D14),"up up down",IF(AND(A14<B14,B14=C14,C14,D14),"up same up", IF(AND(A14>B14,B14<C14,C14=D14),"down up same",IF(AND(A14>B14,B14>C14,C14>D14),"down down down", IF(AND(A14>B14,B14<C14,C14<D14),"down up up",IF(AND(A14=B14,B14<C14,C14<D14),"same up up", IF(AND(A14=B14,B14>C14,C14<D14),"same down up",IF(AND(A14<B14,B14>C14,C14>D14),"up down down", IF(AND(A14>B14,B14=C14,C14<D14),"down same up",IF(AND(A14<B14,B14>C14,C14=D14),"up down same", IF(AND(A14<B14,B14<C14,C14<D14),"up up up",IF(AND(A14>B14,B14>C14,C14<D14),"down down up", IF(AND(A14<B14,B14>C14,C14<D14),"up down up",IF(AND(A14<B14,B14<C14,C14=D14),"up up same", IF(AND(A14>B14,B14=C14,C14>D14),"down same down","Do Not Bet"))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
E15:E20	E15	=IF(OR(A15="",B15="",C15="",D15=""),"Do Not Bet",IF(AND(A15=B15,A15=C15,A15=D15),"same same same",IF(AND(A15=B15,A15=C15,C15>D15),"same same down",IF(AND(A15>B15,B15<C15,D15<C15),"down up down",IF(AND(A15<B15,B15=C15,D15<C15),"up same down",IF(AND(A15>B15,B15=C15,B15=D15),"down same same",IF(AND(A15=B15,C15<B15,D15<C15),"same down down",IF(AND(A15=B15,B15<C15,D15=C15),"same up same",IF(AND(A15=B15,A15=C15,D15>C15),"same same up",IF(AND(A15<B15,B15=C15,C15=D15),"up same same",IF(AND(A15=B15,B15<C15,C15>D15),"same up down",IF(AND(A15>B15,B15>C15,C15=D15),"down down same",IF(AND(A15=B15,B15>C15,C15=D15),"same down same",IF(AND(A15<B15,B15<C15,C15>D15),"up up down",IF(AND(A15<B15,B15=C15,C15,D15),"up same up",IF(AND(A15>B15,B15<C15,C15=D15),"down up same",IF(AND(A15>B15,B15>C15,C15>D15),"down down down",IF(AND(A15>B15,B15<C15,C15<D15),"down up up",IF(AND(A15=B15,B15<C15,C15<D15),"same up up",IF(AND(A15=B15,B15>C15,C15<D15),"same down up",IF(AND(A15<B15,B15>C15,C15>D15),"up down down",IF(AND(A15>B15,B15=C15,C15<D15),"down same up",IF(AND(A15<B15,B15>C15,C15=D15),"up down same",IF(AND(A15<B15,B15<C15,C15<D15),"up up up",IF(AND(A15>B15,B15>C15,C15<D15),"down down up",IF(AND(A15<B15,B15>C15,C15<D15),"up down up",IF(AND(A15<B15,B15<C15,C15=D15),"up up same",IF(AND(A15>B15,B15=C15,C15>D15),"down same down", "Do Not Bet"))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

 

[RoryA]

Wouldn't it be easier to just test each pair and return up/down/same, then concatenate the results of the three comparisons?

 

[Zot]

If formula too long like this in too many cells, then you have big file size with small contents ?

I think you should use UDF

 

[JeffGrant]

Wouldn't it be easier to just test each pair and return up/down/same, then concatenate the results of the three comparisons?

Hi Rory, what a simple solution. Works beautifully. Sometimes, I am too close to the trees to see the forest.

 

[JeffGrant]

Hi Rory, what a simple solution. Works beautifully. Sometimes, I am too close to the trees to see the forest.

Didn't solve the circular reference though

 

[RoryA]

I've never heard of circular references being created just because of too many IFs. Which cell(s) are being flagged as the cause?

 

[JeffGrant]

I've never heard of circular references being created just because of too many IFs. Which cell(s) are being flagged as the cause?

This is confusing...
Sheet is "Class Patterns" -> c.r at BQ16.
in BQ16 is =INDIRECT("'Trade'!$H$4")
in Trade H4 is the string "mdn"

Trace Error Check on BQ16 gives message "The trace error command requires that the active cell contain an error value."

There are several of these situations where excel gives a c.r, but there isn't an error at all.

I'm mystified

 

[RoryA]

A circular reference is not an error per se.

I'd make a copy of the workbook to use for investigation, then delete the contents of Bq16 and see which cell is flagged as the CR now. Continue that pattern until you find the problem cell(s).

 

[Peter_SSs]

Hi Rory, what a simple solution. Works beautifully. Sometimes, I am too close to the trees to see the forest.

Not sure exactly what you came up with but what about this as a replacement for that very long formula?

JeffGrant.xlsm
	A	B	C	D	E
3	3	2	1	This Race
4	216	240	230	240	up down up
5	210	210	210	208	same same down
6	210	212	210	210	up down same
7	294	210	210	210	down same same
8	210	210	230	218	same up down
9	218	230	218	218	up down same
10	257	212	218	218	down up same
11	210	210	210	208	same same down
12	210	210	210	208	same same down
13	210	210	210	208	same same down
14	272	258	257	258	down down up
15	240	240	216		Do Not Bet
16	240	254	254	254	up same same
17	232	220	224	232	down up up
18	224	216	216	196	down same down
19	212	204	216	230	down up up
20	266	230	232	198	down up down
Sheet1

Cell Formulas
Range	Formula
E4:E20	E4	=IF(COUNT(A4:D4)=4,TEXTJOIN(" ",1,CHOOSE(SIGN(B4:D4-A4:C4)+2,"down","same","up")),"Do Not Bet")

 

[JeffGrant]

A circular reference is not an error per se.

I'd make a copy of the workbook to use for investigation, then delete the contents of Bq16 and see which cell is flagged as the CR now. Continue that pattern until you find the problem cell(s).

HI Rory,

this is just silly, it is like I have hundreds of c.r.'s all of a sudden.

for example

c.r in BQ4. in BQ4 is ='Class Patterns'!BX7
delete bq4
then cr in bq5
in bq 5 is ='Class Patterns'!BX8
delete bq5
then cr in am4


in AM4 is "=IF($O$4="", "",$C$4-$O$4)"
in C4 is a date, O4 is either a date or empty.

if I delete am4, excel just picks another cell in the column and says there is c.r in it

and so on and on and on

how is this a c.r.?

thanks