Creating a flow chart

[dno_ca]

Hi there,

If after I have created all my drop down menus and INDIRECT cases enetered, is there a way I can have a specific cell come up after all the drop down menus have been chosen?

ie:

Cell 1: user can choose A, B, or C

Cell 2: if Cell 1 was A then D, E, or F
Cell 2: if Cell 1 was B then G, H, or I
Cell 2: if Cell 1 was C then J, K, or L

Cell 3: X, Y, and Z or XX (see below for example)

Ex:

A chosen for cell 1
D chosen for cell 2
X comes up in cell 3 automatically.

AND, is there a way to make it so that more than one cell can come up if a certain sequence is chosen from the first two cells such as:

A chosen for cell 1
E chosen for cell 2
X, Y, and Z come up in cell 3, 4, and 5 automaticaly.

The only problem is that I am not sure how excel handles the information. Would it be easier if I just make a new entry XX where XX=X+Y+Z? The reason I want to do this is because there will be times when Y will have to be shown in cell 3 as well (ie: when X is not shown). Am I being clear?

I have done this before at my last job but am not sure about the last part.

Thanks in advance,
Dean
This message was edited by dno_ca on 2002-10-09 17:16

 

[Damon Ostrander]

Hi Dean,

I'm a bit confused by your question. Are you using data validation list dropdowns in cells 1 and 2 and linking them together via code that sets the list in cell 2 depending on the value chosen in cell 1? What do you mean when you use the term "come up" referring to a cell. Also, I am confused about Y shown in cell 3 when X is not shown. Why would X not be shown? What would then happen to cell 4?

From the nature of your question I would guess that what you want is not hard to do. But as it is I am too uncertain what the problem is to be of much help.

Damon

 

[dno_ca]

I'm sorry for not being more clear and thanks for asking. I am not familiar with the way excel operates so I am not even sure if this can be done.

I am using Data Validation, with Allow set to List. In my example I would have made one Named Group for cell 1 (NG1 = A, B, and C), and three Named Groups for Cell 2 (NG2 = D, E, F, NG3 = G, H, I, NG4 = J, K, L).

For Cell 1 the Source would be set to =NG1. For Cell 2 the source would be set to =INDIRECT(Cell 1 #). This would let cell one direct what is shown in cell two. I would like the data from Cell 2 to direct what is shown in Cell 3.

I know that I can use this same method to make Cell 2 direct Cell 3 BUT what I would really like to do is see if excel can automatically display more than one cell if it is called for.

I am not sure how this can work. To explain further about the X, Y, and Z, there are a few scenerios that I think could happen:

1) Excel can not create the seperate cells that I would like it to, so I would be stuck making a seperate cell with each necessary data copy and pasted into every data in Cell 2 (which I would not want to do because there could be alot of entries for Cell 2).

2) Excel can do this but I would have to set up each Cell individually and that would be just as troublesome (and probably more so) than adding all the necessary data into one cell. I would have to set up lots of cells (Cell 4, Cell 5, Cell 6, et cetera) each with their own data entry that would either be displayed or not.

3) I am hoping that there is a function that will let excel display more than one cell driven by another cell BUT have it displayed in a column or row. That way it would be more organized and easier to enter data. Then only Cell 3 would always automatically display an answer but if needed it would display as many more entries in the following cells.

Hope I cleared some of this up and am looking forward to your response! BTW, I will be using this for a trouble shooting tree if that makes it any more clear to you. I know I should be using a database program but I can not.

Thanks again,
Dean
This message was edited by dno_ca on 2002-10-10 13:04