Excel Formula & Conditional Formatting: How to match current cell in another table based on criteria

Question

I have an excel tool that I use to make meal plans for clients. I select the client, choose pre-set meals from a list and compile them into a plan, and assign them to the individual.

I want to create a function/conditional formatting that highlights particular ingredients in any given meal plan, if the individual 'can't/won't eat' them. This is based off their individual preferences.

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Sheet 1: Contains a table of client names, with an associated ID. There is a drop down box that allows the user to select who they are creating the plan for.

Sheet 2: Contains a table of ingredients, with the furthest right column containing client IDs, as text, in the case a given ingredient is disliked by a client/s.

Sheet 3: Is where the meals (and ingredients) are listed, and then compiled into a plan. Here is where I would like the conditional formatting to be applied, highlighting ingredients if they are disliked by the client.

Note: the sheets aren't actually in this order

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I was messing around with this formula in a cell;

=IF(IFERROR(IF(FIND(ID,INDEX(IngredientTable,(MATCH(IngredientInMealPlan,Sheet2!A:A,0)),9))>0,"Dislike","Error"),"Error")="Dislike",IngredientInMealPlan,"")

Where;

IngredientTable = The table of ingredients, their values, and IDs/dislikes on Sheet 2

IngredientInMealPlan = Would be the the ingredient in question when the meals are compiled on Sheet 3

Sheet2:A:A = Column A, for looking up Ingredient names

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I realise that the formula is a bit clunky, I wasn't really sure how to tighten it up. It did start to look like I might be heading in the right direction with it, but there are several issues;

• I'm not sure how to work around IngredientInMealPlan relating to a specific cell, I don't think the formula will work if it's a range
• I'm not sure how to work this into conditional formatting, and apply it to the range D:D on Sheet 3 where the meal plans are compiled.

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I'm open to ideas on how to implement this. While I realise it would make it easier, I don't really want to add an additional column to the Ingredient Table on Sheet 3. I'm useless with VBA.

Answer 1

I had some help, this formula works and solves my problem:)

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=IFERROR(FIND('Sheet1'!$G$1,(INDEX(Ingredients!I:I,MATCH(D2,Ingredients!A:A,0)))),0)>=1

Where;

D2 - is the first Ingredient on 'Sheet 3'. As the conditional formatting is applied to column D, this reference changes down the column (eg D3, D4... Etc.)

Ingredients:A:A - is the column for the actual ingredient name

Ingredients:I:I - is the column for Dislikes

'Sheet1',$G$1 - is the client ID, that has been selected

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As the formula finds the client ID in the dislike column, the formatting is applied, alerting the user to the specific ingredient that particular client dislikes.