maybe

=IF(SUMPRODUCT(--ISBLANK(a2:a5))1,"there's a blank", "no blanks")

"roger" wrote:

i want to check if any or all the cells a2:a5 are blank
i have tried IF((A2 or A3=""),B1,"") & IF((A2 AND A3=""),B1,"") this
returns NAME
and IF(A2:A5="",B2,"") this is the same as IF(A2="",B2,"") ie just checks
the first cell

the cells i am checking are either blank or x or X.

does anyone have a solution?

regards
Roger