really need help with IF syntax.... :-\

[MissO]

i have an event spreadsheet that i've created to calculate a fee, the payment received for the fee and the difference due (or overpaid). if there are no amounts entered to make up one of the formulas, i want the cell to show blank. right now it puts $0.00 in it.

i've attached a sample of the spreadsheet. here are the two formulas i have in it.

*formula in column O: =SUM(G4:N4) add all amounts between G and N and put the total here. if there are no numbers in G thru N, don't put anything here.

*formula in column S: =P4-O4 subtract the payment (P4) from what is due (O4) and put the amount here. if there are no numbers in O, don't put anything here.

in the attached spreadsheet, line 3:, henry miller sent in his form/payment for what days and meals he's coming, so the formulas in columns O and S have numbers in them, because the related cells have numbers in them.

however, john doe said he's coming to the event verballd, but he didn't send form/payment in, so i can't enter any numbers in the sheet yet; but i want to record his name and that he's coming. and instead of columns O and S having 0.00 in them, i want the formula to be there, but the cell blank (until numbers are entered into the other cells).

so....can anyone tell me exactly what to put for the formulas in columns O and S to do what i want it to do? i have been trying to read tutorials on the IF function and i can't make heads or tails of it.

i hope that makes sense. let me know if you have a question.

thanks! :-)