IF statement, problem with values format when it includes " "

[Stacey_Cummings]

I’m trying to create a template for a source bibliography that would include punctuation in the formula.

I have multiple fields that will eventually be combined. Can someone tell me why I’m getting an X in Column 1, Row 3, when Column 3, Row 3 is blank? I would have expected that field to be blank.

Here’s my records

Here’s my formula

Thank you,
Stacey

[andywingrave]

Hey there - They reason is because you’ve set the condition to equal “Creator &X” if it is not blank

So you’ll actually have the same problem in the first two rows

You would need to change your formula to be:

IF (Census !=BLANK(), "",, Census)

Or some variation of that depending on what you want your end result to be

Keep in mind that there are three parts, all separated by commas:

1. Condition
2. Output if Condition is True
3. Output if Condition is False

[JonathanBowen]

Hi @Stacey_Cummings, @andywingrave - the problem here is that you can’t use:

Census != BLANK()

Airtable formulas don’t work with !=

Census != BLANK() always evaluates to true, so you need to use:

NOT(Census = BLANK())

JB

[JonathanBowen]

Correction to this != does seem to work with number fields (and maybe other things too) - but doesn’t appear to work with != BLANK()

Not sure what is going on under the hood here as it doesn’t throw an error - maybe someone else knows?!

[Stacey_Cummings]

Thank you, That was totally messing me up. It worked sometimes and not others (!=). I figured I had something else wrong and been spinning around on that.

I’ve changed my formula to just be = BLANK. Now I’m stuck on something else. Basically I have 10 columns. I need to evaluate each column, if it is BLANK return “”; if it is not blank return ", " and the field. In the end I’ll have all the columns concatenated into a complete Source for a bibliography.

If anyone can point me to an example of something like that; I could try to mimic.

Thanks
Stacey

[kuovonne · Accepted solution]

Stacey_Cummings:

Basically I have 10 columns. I need to evaluate each column, if it is BLANK return “”; if it is not blank return ", " and the field.

This thread has some example formulas for concatenation with blank values, depending on whether or not the first field is optional.

[Stacey_Cummings]

This solved my problem, Concatenation Discrepancy Thank you!!! I can now avoid having several different tables for different types of sources too!!

[Stacey_Cummings]

If finally understand what you are talking about. I kept thinking about it :slightly_smiling_face: and I didn’t get it. It’s because I have () after Blank, so ) closes the condition and my TRUE is return Creator & X. Got it now.

I see where I got confused about it. In the Formula field reference guide if you search on BLANK

Airtable - Support

Formula field reference

For an overview of formula fields, please refer to the Guide to Formula, Lookup, Count, and Rollup fields. Formulas may involve functions, numeric operations, logical operations, and text operation...

It says
BLANK() Returns a blank value. IF(Price > 1000000, BLANK(), “Wow, that’s pretty expensive”)
Since that formula has BLANK(), I thought you must have to use () after Blank all the time.

Thank you Saastronomical.

Stacey