Adding data validation text to another occupied cell

[baggypants]

Hello, I am hoping to find a way to track projects through different workstations. I have several different shops and using data valadation I am using a drop down box to show where the project currently is. What I need to do though is as each station selects on its arrival, the data needs to move to another cell, adding the new text.
For example a unit may need to flow through ins/assy/painting. As "ins" is first selected the text should go to a cell. Then "Assy" will be selected. That cell should then read "ins/assy".....ans so forth. Untill finally we have ins/assy/painting.
I hope this makes sense.
Thank-you!!

[FDibbins]

Hi and welcome to the forum

Im not sure I understand what you are trying to do here?

Are saying you want to, for instance, select INS in C5, and have that populate B22, then select ASSY in C5 and have that value added to INS in B22, to become INS/ASSY etc

Generally speaking, a formula will only produce 1 value. Is the SHOP sequence you have in J4:J10 the actual squence/progression of work? Will it always follow that progression, and always follow each step? Or could the progression of work skip a step/jump a step or 2 ahead/repeat a step later?

I think you need to show a few more sample answers (and how you arrived atthem if they are not gralringly obvious), to help me understand what you want

[baggypants]

Wow, that was a fast reply. Thank-you.
Ill try my best to make more sense here.
In A5 we have the required flow of parts going through the different shops. Inspection, paint, disassmebly,stripping,paint (etc).
So when the drop down box in C5 is used and we choose "INS" (inspection) which matches the first shop required according to the flow, I would like the text "INS" to copy to cell B5. Then when the part moves to the stripping department , this department selects "STRIP" still from C5. Then I would like the text in cell B5 to read INS/STRIP . And finally the project will be received in the painting department and they will select "PNT" from C5.
B5 should then read INS/STRIP/PNT. Ultimately A5 and B5 would eventually match eachother signifying the process/flow is complete.


If it is too problamatic to have them grouped in the same cell together in this way then I could have them appear in side by side cells.
I really hope that more understandable.
Thanks again.

[FDibbins]

OK try this, copied down...

=IF(C5="","",LEFT(A5,SEARCH(C5,A5,1)+LEN(C5)-1))

1 thing though, the "shop" name in column A MUST match the name in teh drop-down, else the formula will return #VALUE So you will need to change /PAINT to /PNT

[baggypants]

Thank-you, almost perfect. Just a question. Is it possible to have the text move over and ignore column A.
The reason is it is possible that the same project might be re-routed to another department not in the flow.
Also, we usually start and finish with an inspection so when you get to the end and chose "INS" it goes back to the beginning of the sequence.
So, I suppose ignoring column A is a better option for me.
Thanks again for your time!