Have a cell always populate a certain word but also hide the same column

Question

I would like to hide column C called Type because the input field should always be the same. I know how to hide column C, but I also need column C to always fill with the word Retail so that it fulfills the rules of sending data over to other spreadsheets. So the question is how do I make column C for Type default to the word Retail when we have data on the rest of the row. Once I figure this rule out I can just hide column C of the spreadsheet called Retail. Link below.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1M3ssDpnhKTTGN321ICmT5a2MRJ80XdPZ6OxUkhQY9L0/edit?usp=sharing

Answer 1

IF Function

You can use an IF function to return Retail or NULL (or any values you choose) depending on weather or not conditions are met.

=IF(logical_expression, value_if_true, value_if_false)

Two examples that check for data in a cell:

1. Cell D1
   If there is data anywhere in the range A1:C1
2. Cell D2
   If there is data in every column of the range A2:C2

      A B C             D
   --+-+-+-+-----------------------------------------------+-
   1 | | | | =IF(COUNTA(A1:C1),"Retail","")                | 
   --+-+-+-+-----------------------------------------------+-
   2 | | | | =IF(COUNTA(A2:C2)=COLUMNS(A2:C2),"Retail","") | 
   --+-+-+-+-----------------------------------------------+-

Answer 2

You can add this formula ONLY in the first cell of column C: If you want "Retail" to appear when A or B are filled use this formula::

=arrayformula(IF(A1:A<>"",if(B1:B<>"","Retail",""),if(B1:B<>"","Retail","")))

If you want "Retail" to appear when A and b are filled use this formula:

=arrayformula(IF(A1:A<>"",if(B1:B<>"","Retail",""),""))

All the column will be populated by this single cell formula ;)