How to write an array of data in a formula?

Question

Google Sheets

Hello!
It is necessary to draw up a schedule for the employment of employees (by last name). Cell = the person who currently occupies the room. There are 42 employees, respectively, at the intersection of the room - the time interval of another table, the general one, I have 45 cells (I took it with a margin, suddenly there will be new ones). I am using the IF function. IF "Last name", then in the second table in the individual cell there will be the word BUSY. If not, just a dash. Entering all 45 values ​​for a long time, I decided to use an array. I am writing the formula: =IF(B3:D17="Alekseev","BUSY","-"). "Could not find array value" is displayed. I tried with a named list - the same garbage! What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

To make the formula work with arrays, after entering, press not Enter, but Ctrl+Shift+Enter .
But only if there is an array in the parameters of the IF formula, then the result will be an array. More precisely, the result will have the same dimensions as the parameter. Your B3:D17 is 3 by 15, so the area of ​​the same size will be filled with the values ​​"BUSY" and "-". In this case, the formula will be in only one cell.