Is there a formula I can use to convert text to hash marks (or XXXXXX) as
it's entered?
--
MT

Mary
Anything you enter into a cell will replace whatever is in the cell at
the time. So you can't have a formula in the cell, then enter something
into that same cell, and expect the formula to act on it.
You can use VBA to do something to an entry after you make the entry,
but I don't understand what you want Excel to do with the entry. Do you
want the cell to retain the value entered but display the hash marks? That
cannot be. Yes, a cell can display something that is not the entry that was
made in that cell. That's what a formula does. But a formula cannot
reference its own cell.
Please post back and tell us what you want to do. Perhaps there is a
way to get what you want in some other way. HTH Otto
"Mary Thomas" wrote in message
...
Is there a formula I can use to convert text to hash marks (or XXXXXX) as
it's entered?
--
MT

I am trying to create a hidden signature.
I have a form which needs to be signed by upper management. My boss does
not want others to be able to "fake" the signature so we thought if the
managers could type in their name but it only showed up as XXXXX then the
project team people wouldn't know if it was signed or a password was entered.

Example
Text Typed but cell shows:
Cell A10: Mary E Thomas XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Am I asking for too much? There doesn't seem to be any other way to
digitally or electronically sign this form that is secure.
Mary
--
MT


"Otto Moehrbach" wrote:

Mary
Anything you enter into a cell will replace whatever is in the cell at
the time. So you can't have a formula in the cell, then enter something
into that same cell, and expect the formula to act on it.
You can use VBA to do something to an entry after you make the entry,
but I don't understand what you want Excel to do with the entry. Do you
want the cell to retain the value entered but display the hash marks? That
cannot be. Yes, a cell can display something that is not the entry that was
made in that cell. That's what a formula does. But a formula cannot
reference its own cell.
Please post back and tell us what you want to do. Perhaps there is a
way to get what you want in some other way. HTH Otto
"Mary Thomas" wrote in message
...
Is there a formula I can use to convert text to hash marks (or XXXXXX) as
it's entered?
--
MT

I would have to assume that the project team people would only see a
printed copy of the form. Otherwise, the name would show up in the
formula bar and this effort would be for naught.

If they will see only printed forms, then what you probably need is a
font that shows asterisks or some such for every character entered.
That is, an 'a' would look just like a 'z' which would look like any
other letter. I'm not sure where you can find such a font, but I
imagine there must be a free one out there somewhere. Just make sure
it's on every PC that would print one of your forms.

An alternative would be to Conditional Format both the the font color
and the cell itself as gray if the cell is not empty. This tells you
there is something entered in the cell, but only someone who is looking
at the form in Excel can select the cell to see who actually "signed"
it. There is also an advantage in that one can't tell from the
printout how many characters is in the signature as there is only a
gray cell and not characters that someone can count.

Mary Thomas wrote:
I am trying to create a hidden signature.
I have a form which needs to be signed by upper management. My boss does
not want others to be able to "fake" the signature so we thought if the
managers could type in their name but it only showed up as XXXXX then the
project team people wouldn't know if it was signed or a password was entered.

Example
Text Typed but cell shows:
Cell A10: Mary E Thomas XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Am I asking for too much? There doesn't seem to be any other way to
digitally or electronically sign this form that is secure.
Mary
--
MT


"Otto Moehrbach" wrote:

Mary
Anything you enter into a cell will replace whatever is in the cell at
the time. So you can't have a formula in the cell, then enter something
into that same cell, and expect the formula to act on it.
You can use VBA to do something to an entry after you make the entry,
but I don't understand what you want Excel to do with the entry. Do you
want the cell to retain the value entered but display the hash marks? That
cannot be. Yes, a cell can display something that is not the entry that was
made in that cell. That's what a formula does. But a formula cannot
reference its own cell.
Please post back and tell us what you want to do. Perhaps there is a
way to get what you want in some other way. HTH Otto
"Mary Thomas" wrote in message
...
Is there a formula I can use to convert text to hash marks (or XXXXXX) as
it's entered?
--
MT