Dumb Excel question on IF (IFS) formula

[dajul73]

I have never been able to grasp the whole IF statement thing. I know, it's apparently so freakin easy. But I just can't ever figure it out. I'm hoping you brilliant people can save my a** here.

Here's what I'm trying to accomplish:
I have a list of training courses broken out by job title and department. I need the cell for a specific training to either show YES or just stay Blank if there is any value in the range of cells for the department. Attached is an example.

So the cells highlighted yellow need to either have a YES because any of the cells below it have a value in them, or blank because none of the cells have a value. In this example all 4 cells should have a YES in them.

Please remember I don't speak Excel and would appreciate it if you could keep any explanations in a simple terms as possible.

Thank you so much!

Ok, so yeah, I was in a hurry Friday to get out of the office and forgot to attach the example. LOL. Let's try this again shall we...

[shirleyxls]

Can you attach your workbook?

Click on the Go Advanced button, scroll down to manage attachments. This opens a new page where you can browse to your file, then click on the Upload button.

[FDibbins]

I have never been able to grasp the whole IF statement thing. I know, it's apparently so freakin easy. But I just can't ever figure it out.

Most things are easy if you understand them and know how they work, but if you dont know, then they are not easy

Here is how a *simple* IF statement works...
- it is made up of 3 parts...
1. what to test
2. what to do if the test is true
3. what to do if the test is false

=IF(what to test, what to do if test is TRUE, what to do if test is FALSE)

=IF(1=2, "correct", "incorrect")
So that would return Incorrect

=IF(2=2, "correct", "incorrect")
That would return Correct

That really is all there is to it. They can become much more involved, but the basic principle remains.

for instance, each TRUE can contain it's own IF statement, and so can the FALSE...
=IF("bird"="cat", IF("cat" = "Large cat", "run", "pet"), IF("Bird" = "pretty", "Buy", "dont Buy")

Obviously a ridiculous example, but it shows the point

Hope that helps?