Random Number Generator

**cliff2017** · 01-11-2017, 06:40 PM

I am trying to make a speadsheet that gives me random results for a list of items. I have 4 items in which two have sub categories. For instance, lets say that item 1 has 4 subs under it. I need a formula that states if Item 1 is randomly selected, then one of the 4 subs will be also randomly picked. Does anyone know how to do this?

I have tried - =IF(G13=1,"=RANDBETWEEN(1,4)") but this only gives me "RANDBETWEEN(1,4)" as a result if 1 is generated. I would like it to go further and randomly select sub 1,2,3 or 4.

Thanks for the help

**jeffreybrown** · 01-11-2017, 06:45 PM

Maybe you could create tables with your subs and then you can use the randbetween within a vlookup and generate your results.

If you can mock up a sheet, with your expected results maybe we can figure out something.

**MrShorty** · 01-11-2017, 08:03 PM

Is that the exact formula string you are using? If so, the quotation marks tell Excel that you are intending this as a text string and not a function, so it returns the text "=RANDBETWEEN(1,4)". In order to get it to treat this as a function, drop the quotation marks and the equal sign. Something like =IF(G13=1,RANDBETWEEN(1,4))