Question about conditional (IF) statements

[Alan]

I have an Excel file (using 2003) that has a row of entries for
actual expenditures for each month (months in columns). I want to
calculate the cumulative expenditures, plot them when actual
expenditures are entered, and not plot them when actual expenditures
are not entered. I cannot figure out how to do this with the IF
statement or conditional formatting. Everything I try leads to a "$0"
which is then plotted. (The fields are formatted as currency, so the
"$" is there.)

If I just leave the cumulative expenditures field blank, then it
is not plotted, but I have to enter the formula for the last month
each month when I update the spreadsheet.

Is there a way to do this? Thanks, Alan

 

[Alan]

Never mind. The formula =IF(ISBLANK(C16),"",B15+C16) works.

 

[Alan]

I was wrong. This still plots 0`s for the cumulative spending
value.

Can anyone help?

 

[Dave Peterson]

try:
=if(c16="",na(),b15+c16)

You can use format|conditional formatting to hide the #n/a's or you could put
this formula in a different column (and use it in the chart), then hide that
column.

(The only chart answer I know!)

There is a dedicated newsgroup for charting, though.
microsoft.public.excel.charting

(If you get more advanced question about charts.)