Conditional formatting to populate cells?

Question

Using Excel's conditional formatting (or some other function), can I add text to a cell based on the value of that cell (or another cell)?

I have a spreadsheet that I would like Column D to have a single space in it if the cell is empty (i.e., every cell in Column D would be populated with no cells left blank).  The simplest solution would seem to be that I should type in a space to each cell that is empty since I really only need the first 100 rows populated (and that wouldn't take long); however, the moment I insert a new row (which is very often; I am constantly deleting and inserting new rows), the new row does not have Column D populated with text.  I want Column D to be automatically populated with a space, even to new rows added.

I tried using the formula [=IF($D1=""," ") and applying it to Column D, but that does not work.  I am thinking conditional formatting can only be used for formatting (:P) and not text input.  So I was wondering if there was another way to achieve this?

It may help to know WHY I want to do this.  I have a list of ongoing files in the first 50 rows.  As they are completed, I delete the row.  If a new file comes in, I insert a new row. Column D identifies the task that must be completed.  I've written the most common tasks in rows 90-100ish.  I've done this so when I start typing a task in rows 1-50, it will auto populate to what is in the bottom rows (since it is connected to rows 90-100).  This only works if the connecting rows are populated with text.  I don't want to use a drop down list because it's usually a variation of the text in rows 90-100.

I hope that makes sense.  Please let me know if I need to clarify anything.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Meaghan

Answer 1

meshaughnessy

It seems to me the simplest solution would be to move the rows 90-100 to rows 1-11 and start your list in row 12. 

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Regards,

Tom Ogilvy