How do I create a text object that updates based on user selection?

[tmagdich]

I am creating a dashboard from a excel file that deals with employee information.  I have seen other dashboards use the text object feature to show updated information at a glance based off of the user selection.  I can't seem to figure out how to achieve this.

[olivetwist]

it all depends on the information you want to display. if it is something like "TOTAL SALES" then you would just add a formula like "=sum(sales)" .

[tmagdich]

The information that I want to update are just text, not a numeric value.  What formula would I use for that?

[olivetwist]

Can you provide an example? is it like:

Month, User, Login_Date

If i choose a user it shows the month?

[tmagdich]

Employee Name	Division	Region	Employee ID
John Smith	Development	NA	jsmith12

Something similar to this.  If the user selects "John Smith", text objects auto update that show this employee's division, region and employee ID.

[olivetwist · Accepted solution]

See the attached example

you may want to adjust the "GETSELECTEDCOUNT(field)>0" to "GETSELECTEDCOUNT(field)=1" if you only want it to display when an individual is selected.

[tmagdich]

Exactly what I needed, thank you.  Is there an easy way to display a simple dash within the text box is nothing is selected, or more than one employee name is selected?

[olivetwist]

Just add '-' as the "False" return in your IF like below:

=[Employee Name] & '
'&IF(GETSELECTEDCOUNT([Employee Name])=1, Division&' - '&Region&' - '&[Employee ID],'-')

Edit: had to update the formula with "=1"