Color coding based on multiple columns

Lindsay Morton

Hi,

I have a sheet that includes Start Date, Finish Date and Status Columns. I'd like to create an IF formula that considers data in all three columns in order to create color coded balls as shown here (//www.santa-greenland.com/blog/support-tip-automate-RYG-balls).

Specifically, I'd like the logic to be:

If Start is after TODAY, "Blue"

If Start is before TODAY and status is "Not Started", "Yellow"

If Finish is after TODAY and status is "In Progress" or "On Track", "Green"

If Finish is before TODAY and status is not "Complete", "Red"

If Finish is before TODAY and status is "Complete", "Green"

I think its possible to apply this kind of nested logic in Excel using AND and OR functions, but I can't make it work the same way in SmartSheet.

Thanks!

Start	Finish	Today	Status	Ideal Result
9/1/2015	12/1/2015	12/3/2015	Complete	G
11/5/2015	1/27/2015	12/3/2015	In Progress	G
11/7/2015	1/20/2016	12/3/2015	Not Started	Y
12/30/2015	2/27/2016	12/3/2015	Not Started	B
11/5/2015	1/27/2016	12/3/2015	On Track	G
10/4/2015	11/3/2015	12/3/2015	On Track	R

Joel Johnson

Try this equation:

=IF(Start1 > TODAY(), "Blue", IF(AND(Start1 < TODAY(), Status1 = "Not Started"), "Yellow", IF(AND(Finish1 > TODAY(), OR(Status1 = "In Progress", Status1 = "On Track")), "Green", IF(AND(Finish1 < TODAY(), Status1 = "Complete"), "Green", "Red"))))

If you look at the equation closly I used your logic in the same order you listed it, however your forth line i swapped between the 4th and 5th lines. Esentially making the last result "Red" if none of the other possibilites occured.

Here is an image of my output.

Good Luck...

Richard Rymill SBP

Nice one Joel!