Can You Enter a Number in a Live Cell Without Having it Acted Upon?

**ragtag** · 05-01-2013, 08:09 PM

I don't know if this is possible, but I'd love to find a way...

The situation is this: This is a score sheet for a trivia game and players are allowed to use a point value only once. I would like to see the point values which were used display in the cells, but have them added or not added (depending on whether or not the player's answer was correct) to the total.

I have a spreadsheet which tallies scores. If I enter a number in a cell, the number is displayed, and the total column is updated with the sum of the cells. However, I would like to sometimes enter a number, maybe while holding down a control or option key so that the number is still displayed, but is NOT added to the total. Ideally the number I enter would be displayed in red or in some other way indicates that this number is a NON-SCORING number. Is this possible?

Thanks,
Rag

**FDibbins** · 05-01-2013, 08:15 PM

Hi and welcome to the forum

Perhaps you could enter that number in another cell (off to the side?) and then if you enter an X or Y (Yes) or some such, it would then get added?

If this is something that might work for you, I would need to see what you have, to put something together for you

**ragtag** · 05-01-2013, 11:58 PM

Actually, a very simple remedy was suggested to me since I posted; instead of just entering a number, enter an "X" then the number. It changes the content to a text, apparently, and does not affect the total. This also provides a very easy way to see which answers were wrong.

Thanks,
Rag

**Jarko28** · 05-03-2013, 12:27 PM

Ragtag,

Standard methodology to enter something in as a text field is to place a single quote mark in front of the text, this way it appears as text and if left justified rather than right justified as would be the case with a value that is a number

A1 = 1
A2 = 1
A3 = '1

=SUM(A1:A3) would result in the value 2, not 3

This is ideal when you don't want to see anything else but a 1 in the cell but only the value as '1 actually visually shows up as just 1 in the cell.

Thanks.

**FDibbins** · 05-03-2013, 12:30 PM

im glad you solved your question

Based on your last post it seems that you are satisfied with the solution(s) you've received but you haven't marked your thread as SOLVED. If your problem has not been solved you can use Thread Tools (located above your first post) and choose "Mark this thread as unsolved".
Thanks.