Recommended Solution for using IF, IFS, or Lookup in Excel Data Sheet

[whalien52]

Hi guys!

I'm working on my data table and used this formula to come up with random orders for my customers to save me time.

=CHOOSE(RANDBETWEEN(1,11),"Conchas","Champurrado", "Puerquitos", "Ponche", "Empanadas", "Atole", "Conos de Crema", "Café de Olla", "Besos","Chocolate Caliente", "Mantecadas")

However, now I'm working on a category column, to where it should show me a food item as a pastry but if they're a non-food item a drink.  

This is what I used: 

=IF((OR(D3=Conchas,D3=Puerquitos,D3=Empanadas,D3=Conos de Crema,D3=Besos,D3=Mantecadas)),"Pastry","Drink")

but it kept showing #NAME? instead of the result 

I would like to have Conchas, Puerquitos, Empanadas, Conos de Crema, Besos, and Mantecadas shown as a "Pastry" result and Champurrado, Ponche, Atole, Café de Olla, and Chocolate Caliente shown as a "Drink" result.

How would y'all suggest the format of my formula to be? And what should I use? I would really appreciate y'alls help!  

[#2]

@whalien52 

I'd create a list of items and categories, for example on another sheet:

You can then use a VLOOKUP formula. In the example below, I assume that the sheet with the list is Sheet2.

The formula in B2 is =VLOOKUP(A2,Sheet2!$A$2:$B$12,2,FALSE)

PS in A2, I used =INDEX(Sheet2!$A$2:$A$12,RANDBETWEEN(1,11))

This makes it easy to change an item in the list. Both formulas will pick up the change automatically.