excel - Message box appear based on different criteria -

i have complicated excel formatting do, have no idea begin.

there few criteria need met:

1. when there cell values in f3 , h3, time @ cell n4 should automatically time in n3 plus 3 hours.

2. if system time exceeds value in n4, , value in f4 , h4 still empty, trigger message or format highlighting inform user time over.

3. if there new bath being created in column b, time in column n stop adding time , left blank user key in new time.

for 1. & 3., you'd use if formula:

=if(and(f3<>"",h3<>"",b3=b4),n3+3/24,"") 

this assuming value in n3 time value, otherwise gets bit trickier - hardly impossible.

your problem statement no. 2 trickier, don't think can without vba, , code isn't entirely straightforward. however, i'll give go. in similar-ish workbook, have line moves forward indicate when different tasks needs completed. have "line" move, color in column of cells using conditional formatting, comparing column of cells timestamp have in y29. code use update timestamp following, updates cells every minute:

in standard module

option explicit  public setdate date  public const nametoignore = "oaa0006monitor"  sub updatetime()     if currentuser() = nametoignore     else       setdate = now() + timevalue("00:01:00")       application.ontime setdate, "timeup"     end if end sub  sub timeup()    if currentuser() = nametoignore   else     thisworkbook.worksheets("arbplan 2011 (5)").range("y29") = time      updatetime   end if end sub  sub killontime()   if currentuser() = nametoignore   else     on error resume next     application.ontime setdate, "timeup", , false     on error goto 0   end if end sub 

in thisworkbook-module

option explicit  private sub workbook_activate()     updatetime end sub  private sub workbook_deactivate()     killontime end sub 

i don't think should hard convert purpose want for, instead of using conditional formatting, can have code formatting you! :)

anyway, hope gives starting point, feel free comment if feel unclear, or if have trouble understanding of logic of code.