formula to leave the cell blank

If a cell contains a formula blank "" then =ISBLANK(cell_ref) = FALSE.

It's better to use:

=IF(cell_ref="",...

Or:

=IF(cell_ref<>"",...

Not sure what you're wanting.

Maybe this...

=IF(A1="","",A1)

Yes, Buvan, we know that.

We are getting to the stage where we need to see a concrete example of what you have. I have attached a sheet.

A1 contains a value
B1 contains =IF(A1=2,4,"")
C1 contains =IF(A1=2,4,"")

is this the sort of thing you want. If not, please attach an Excel sheet that DOES show what you want.

Make sure there is enough data to demonstrate your need. Make sure your desired results are shown, mock them up manually if necessary. Remember to remove ALL confidential information first!!!

However, nothing on this Forum works quite as well as you might expect. The attachment icon doesn't work!! (Helpful, isn't it!!). Instead, just before you submit your post, click on GO ADVANCED (near the bottom) and then scroll down to Manage Attachments to open the upload window. The relevant instructions are at the top of that screen.

Without using VBA, you cannot have a formula in a cell return an empty cell. Either there is a formula in a cell, a value in a cell, or nothing.

Originally Posted by bhuvanashriram

Tony, setting the value to "" is not actually making the cell blank. after this formula, if you use =isblank(B1) then the result will be FALSE which means the cell is not blank. (where cell B1=IF(A1="","",A1)

I noted in my other reply that if a cell contains a formula blank that =ISBLANK(cell_ref) = FALSE.

Not sure what you're trying to do.

If a cell contains a formula that returns a formula blank "" then that cell is not EMPTY. It contains a formula that returns an empty TEXT string.

That's the closest thing we can get to a "blank" cell using a formula.

If you want an EMPTY cell then you'll have to use an event macro that deletes the cell formula.

There's a difference between an EMPTY cell and a blank cell!

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Not helped by the fact that Excel's ISBLANK function tests for empty cell, not cells with null strings.

Originally Posted by shg

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Not helped by the fact that Excel's ISBLANK function tests for empty cell, not cells with null strings.

Exactly.

I've commented on this before. Based on its characteristics, ISBLANK is misnamed. It should have been named ISEMPTY.

I have attached the sample file to explain what I want. Hope that helps.
Tony, yes you are getting my point now that there is a difference between blank and empty cell.
In my workbook, cell A1 is blank so the formula in cell D1(=isblank(A1)) returns true. I want to bring the content of cell A1 to B1. (if A1 is blank B1 should also be blank not empty). So if isblank(A1) is true then isblank(B1) should also be true.The formula I used in cell B1 is =IF(ISBLANK(A1),"","not blank"). Now if you see the formula in C1 which is to check if B1 is blank then it returns false. That means, A1 is not the same as B1. A1 is blank but B1 is not.

So I need a formula to copy contents of A1 to B1. If A1 is blank then B1 should also be blank so that isblank(A1) or isblank(B1) are true.

Hope I have made clear!!

Thanks,
Bhuvana

Originally Posted by bhuvanashriram

So if isblank(A1) is true then isblank(B1) should also be true

Hi,

At the risk of merely repeating what everyone else here has already said, that is not possible if B1 contains a formula.

Exactly. So what we need to know is WHY you want ISBLANK() to show TRUE. What is the NEXT STEP? What is the information to be USED FOR. there will be a workaround.

In C6, copied down:
=IFERROR(1/(1/IF(A6="",B6,A6)),"")

Did you actually enter the formula that I suggested on your sheet. It returns EXACTLY what you aked for.

I still don't understand why you are insisting that it should be BLANK rather than EMPTY. What practical difference does it make? But, so long as you are happy....