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I'm basically trying to create a simple form on Google Sheets. I'd like to make it so that if a user inputs X into A2, then A3 will be disabled, otherwise A3 is open for input.

Is there a simple way to implement this? I'm currently just using conditional formatting to black out cells in an attempt to stray people from putting stuff in there, but it seems like a rather poor implementation if there's a way to actually disable a cell.

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  • Already voted to migrate this to Web Applications. timoseewho, please don't simply repost this elsewhere; it should get migrated fairly quickly.
    – user
    Commented Nov 6, 2015 at 17:50
  • alright i'll give that a look thanks
    – timoseewho
    Commented Nov 7, 2015 at 2:16
  • @SightSpirit It's quite possible with data validation, see my answer.
    – user79865
    Commented Nov 7, 2015 at 3:09

1 Answer 1

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Apply to A3 data validation rule with the custom formula

=or(A2<>"X", isblank(A3))

It looks like this:

data

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  • thank you very much! is <> the same thing as =?
    – timoseewho
    Commented Nov 8, 2015 at 2:20
  • No, it's exactly the opposite thing: "not equal". The validation condition says that valid input is "either A2 is not X, or A3 is blank". This translates logically into "If A2 is X, then A3 must be blank".
    – user79865
    Commented Nov 8, 2015 at 2:23
  • ahhh thanks hehe i've actually run into a small problem now, basically i want A3 to do a number validation between 75-100 if A2's input is 'No', but disabled when A2's input is 'Yes'. is it possible to do.. 2 validations? lol
    – timoseewho
    Commented Nov 8, 2015 at 2:27
  • You can join multiple conditions using or and and. For example, this describes your situation: =or(and(A2="Yes", isblank(A3)), and(A2="No", A3>=75, A3<=100)) This says there are two valid situations, "Yes" & blank A3, and "No" & number in [75,100] in A3
    – user79865
    Commented Nov 8, 2015 at 2:33
  • sigh sorry to bother you again, i tried to do something similar with another cell here, =or(and(B3="No",B4>=981,B4<=1199),and(B3="Yes",B4>=1318,B4<=1560)). i want B4 to take the inputs between 981 and 1199 if B3 is "No", otherwise 1318 and 1560. i keep getting violation no matter what;\
    – timoseewho
    Commented Nov 8, 2015 at 3:06

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