I want to return a number from a column, if the adjacent column contains either "nurse" or Receptionist"

Question

I have a table with dates which i have converted to a number using the Month Fx.  This number is then in a seperate column, which inus e for charts.  I am trying to return this number only if the adjacent column contains either "nurse" or "receptionist". ie I dont want them all....

Answer 1

Kang,
Yes.  Happy Easter!  was cloudy yesterday in Austin, Texas.
I do not know where the formula you posted in your previous post came from.  It is certainly not correct.  What confuses me about the bottom table is I do not know how it connects to the top table.
Are the groups of people "Clinical Staff", "PDR", "Fire Training"  (bottom table column A) groupings of the staff types listed in in the top table, column C?
If so then it may be worth adding some columns to define how the roles map to the training groups.
At this point it must be defined and assumed.  Which row are you wanting to fill out for "Nurse" and "Nurse Practitioner"?
A little exaplaination:
the countif() function contains two arguments like this:
=countif(range, test)
the range is a group of cells (often, but not always, a column).  The test must be an expression that evaluates to true or false.
so if the column is set to column C of the top table then the range would be expressed as (assuming the table name is "Table 1"):
"Table 1::$G"
to test whether the role is a "Nurse" the test (or condition) would be:
"Nurse"
putting these together you would get a countif() function like this which would return the number of Nurses (not really what you want but getting close):
=countif(Table 1::$G, "Nurse")
you actually want to count when:
A) the month is a particular month and
B) the role is a "Nurse"
you also want to count when:
C) the month is a particular month and
D) the role is a "Secialist Nurse Practitioner"
so you can use the countifs() function.
the countifs() function counts the occurances where only ALL conditions are met.
you would use the counifs() twice and add the results together like this:
=COUNTIFS(test-values1,condition1, test-values2,condition2)
you can add as many test values and conditions as you like (you must add in pairs)
To do this you should add an extra row in the header of the bottom table to hold the month number.  Jan is 1, Feb is 2, etc.
Here is what I think you want:
The top table corresponds to the bottom table in your post.  notice I added an extra row (to contain the month number):
B3=COUNTIFS(Table 4::$C, "Nurse", Table 4::$G, B$1) + COUNTIFS(Table 4::$C, "Specialist Nurse Practitioner", Table 4::$G, B$1)
this is shorthand for select cell B3, then type (or copy and paste from here) the formula:
=COUNTIFS(Table 4::$C, "Nurse", Table 4::$G, B$1) + COUNTIFS(Table 4::$C, "Specialist Nurse Practitioner", Table 4::$G, B$1)
no select B3 and fill to the right by hovering the cursor over the right edge of the, now select, cell B3 and dragging the little yellow circle to the right.