Auto populate cells (not copy/paste)

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Level 1

4 points

Auto populate cells (not copy/paste)

I am trying to create a logbook to track flight hours. I have (finally) figured out how to make a pop up menu to select an airplane. I have also created a list of airplanes with their unique characteristics and want to have Numbers auto populate certain cells based on those characteristics. The characteristics are labeled from an "Aircraft" table.

For example: I select aircraft A from my pop up menu in column B. Later columns may include day time, single engine, complex, etc. How can I have Numbers, input the entered data from column E into columns X, Y, and Z depending on selection from column B (the pop up)?

iPad Air 3, iPadOS 17

Posted on Aug 13, 2024 10:36 AM

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Answer 1

Aug 13, 2024 12:52 PM in response to OMInbound

It's hard to determine the best solution based on what you've included above, but I think using the "LOOKUP" or "XLOOKUP" function can get you there. This function can search for the 'Type' you have in Column A as these seem to be unique values. Then, it can return whatever other values you have already set in the other column based on the screenshot you included above.

Here is the link where you can read more about this function:

LOOKUP - Apple Support

XLOOKUP - Apple Support

Hopefully that helps. If not, some more screenshots of what you describe in your second paragraph could help clarify a solution.

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Answer 2

OMInbound Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 13, 2024 2:15 PM in response to pineappbill

I’ll play around with that. Meanwhile, in response to you, here are some more of the screen shots.

So my hope is to be able to select a type aircraft via pop up menu in column 2, table Logbook 2, have LOOKUP(?) go to the Aircraft table (first pic) and then any column with an “X” in it, auto fill the logbook with the same value as I enter in column K (in logbook 2 table).

So I select aircraft 321. Then enter 1.5 (which is hours) in column K, and that same 1.5 also gets automatically entered in columns X, Y, and Z (and maybe others) because Aircraft table has an “X” in the columns labeled AMEL, TURBINE, and Jet.

Hopefully that makes sense.

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Answer 3

Aug 13, 2024 3:19 PM in response to OMInbound

Okay, that helps. I think you can get away with using the LOOKUP function that's nested within an IF function. Here's what I did in a mini mockup:

The cells will be different, of course, but the formula should get the gist of it. On your 'Logbook2' tab, you'll want to use the Type as your lookup. You'll have to adjust it, but my formula will help you pull what you need in your 'Aircraft' tab.

This may be redundant to explain, but the formula I made basically says IF you LOOKUP and find a match that has "X" based on the Type, then return the Duration. The formula will need to be copied in each columns you want to return (and you'll want to keep the same consecutive order so the ASEL column on one tab will match to ASEL on the other tab, AMEL to AMEL, etc.) I attempted to preserve the columns so you can just drag and copy the formula across, but you may need to adjust slightly.

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Answer 4

OMInbound Author

Level 1

4 points

Aug 13, 2024 4:21 PM in response to pineappbill

Thank you very much! I’ll play around with it and see if I can make it work.

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