New to Excel - Conditional Formatting struggles.

[southaja]

Hi all,

I'm going through the process of developing a spread sheet to track workplace training.

In our workplace, some work instructions are relevant to multiple work areas - so they fall into multiple categories.

Guys will train in different areas and be required to complete the relevant documentation to monitor their training.

There are multiple instances in my spread sheet where I want to automatically copy data from one cell to another (eg. I want D63 to =D41, but I also want D41 to =D63)

When I type this into each cell required, I get the circular reference error and am so far, unable to determine how to write it up so it works.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[FDibbins]

Hi, welcome to the forum

I want D63 to =D41, but I also want D41 to =D63

That will indeed give you a circular reference error, and is not the way it works - and is something we always try and avoid.

Think of it this way...
If you want D63 to =D41, D63 would need to contain =D41, but for D41 to =D63, D41 would need to contain =D63
.....so what is the cell supposed to show? A cell can contain either data (text/number) or a formula, but not both.

What exactly are you trying to do?

[southaja]

The document list in column B is a list of all relevant documents broken up into each work stations (Column C) - Some documents repeat themselves over different work areas.

If for instance, a staff member completes the document in D41 (star #1) -

I'd like the spread sheet to identify that he has already completed documentation for that specific task and automatically fill D63 (star #2) with the same result (by keying a number 1-6 into the cell {RE: Lengend})

Where I run into the circular reference is when I try and set it up vice versa -

My reason for doing this is because in my workplace, you could be moved to one of many different work areas in no particular order - there is no way of pre determining where staff might end up next - hence the reason I can't set the formula for only one work station, not the other...

It's a pain in the ****.

I'm guessing there's no way around circular reference errors?

[FDibbins]

Where I run into the circular reference is when I try and set it up vice versa -

you would run into circ ref error either way, and no, there is no way around it with formulas, doing things the way you are doing them, but maybe someone could put some VBA (programming) together for you?

Perhaps we can come up with a different answer?
Can you upload a small (clean) sample workbook (not a pic) of what you are working with, and what your expected outcome would look like.

[southaja]

Ok, I've mocked up and attached a demo.

Thankyou for your help.

I've highlighted 2 rows in the demo where the document is repeated for the 2 different skill sets.

[FDibbins]

How about looking at this from a different angle? It sounds like you have a set list of training for each job description. If so, how about if you have a bunch of columns headed with the job, and below each job, list all the required training (just free-wheeling here). Then in your sheet1, you enter the job descr, and the training list gets populated for you.

Then, Im sure you already have a list of EE's and what training they have? If so, maybe we could use that list to ID what they already have, and your table could then show what they have, and, by default, what they need?

table/columns with, say, jobs across the top and training down the side

[southaja]

That would work, if I had an idea of how to do it.

Hahaha.

I've been using excel for about 3 weeks total - I'm as clean as they come.

Thankyou for your help though.