Need some help on a formula

[watkins365]

Sorry, i am probably being a bit dense but cannot get a formula to work.
Column J is a blank in which user inserts a date
Column L is a blank in which user might insert a date
Column O is blank BUT needs a formula that is the date inserted in J plus 5 days but only if there is no date in L, if there is a date in L then column O must be L plus 5 days .

Been going around in circles on this !

 

[watkins365]

The formula is wrong (as in copied over incorrectly from what Joe provided), in the second IF

You have: =IF(AND(J5="",L5=""),"",IF(J5>0,L5+5,J5+5))

It needs to be: =IF(AND(J5="",L5=""),"",IF(J5>0,J5+5,L5+5))

Thank you, but I am still hitting an issue. With the formula copied and pasted it works fine with just a date in J or just a date in L. It is not changing the date in O if I then add a date in L unless I delete the date in J.

Putting it into context . On day 1 a date is always inserted in J, L is always blank on day 1. The formula generates a date in O which is J plus 5 days, correct. ON the date of J it may be discovered that a further date is needed in L. On those occasions I need it to amend the date in O to become L plus 5 days rather than J plus 5 days. I do however need the date in J to stay in J and not be deleted. Perhaps it is not possible, I am sorry to take up your time on this.

 

[Joe4]

You shound very confused about, what you want, as you seem to be going back-and-forth, and your stated needs seem to be just the opposite of what you stated previously.

If what you just said in your last post is actually true, the very first formula I posted in my very first reply should give you what you want:

=IF(AND(J5="",L5=""),"",IF(L5>0,L5+5,J5+5))

In a nutshell, this will do the following:
1. If there is a date in column L (regardless of what is in column J), it will add 5 days to the date in column L
2. If there is a date in column J but not column L, it will add 5 days to the date in column J
3. If there is no date in column J or column L, it will return nothing

 

[watkins365]

You shound very confused about, what you want, as you seem to be going back-and-forth, and your stated needs seem to be just the opposite of what you stated previously.

If what you just said in your last post is actually true, the very first formula I posted in my very first reply should give you what you want:

=IF(AND(J5="",L5=""),"",IF(L5>0,L5+5,J5+5))

In a nutshell, this will do the following:
1. If there is a date in column L (regardless of what is in column J), it will add 5 days to the date in column L
2. If there is a date in column J but not column L, it will add 5 days to the date in column J
3. If there is no date in column J or column L, it will return nothing

Thank you, my apologies again, am new to this and clearly not explaining needs coherently. Yes it does work thank you for your help.

 

[Joe4]

You are welcome.
Glad we were able to help!

Sometimes, the best way to explain these types of scenarios is with examples, i.e. show various scenarios, and your expected results for each one.
(You know the old saying, "a picture says 1000 words!")