This is a smart request from a user who understands that a spreadsheet should reflect reality, not just calculate it. The desire to keep "total after payment" and "months left" blank until a payment is actually made isn't about aesthetics, it's about clarity. When you're tracking debt payoff, seeing projected numbers before you've taken action can create noise instead of insight. That user wants their spreadsheet to wait for them, not race ahead with assumptions.
The practical solution here is a conditional formula wrapped around existing calculations. For the "total after payment" column (G), you would nest the FV function inside an IF statement that checks the "payment made" column (C). Something like `=IF(C7="","",FV(F7/12,1,E7,-D7))`. The same logic applies to the "months left" column (H) with the NPER function: `=IF(C7="","",NPER(F7/12,E7,-D7))`. This keeps those cells empty until the user marks column C as completed. It is a small change with a big effect: the spreadsheet only shows forward-looking data when there is a reason to.
What this user is really doing is applying a principle that many people overlook: a good spreadsheet does not just calculate, it communicates. By hiding projections until a payment is recorded, the user avoids the confusion of seeing "months left" change before any money has moved. That is human-centered design at the cell level. It respects the user's workflow and reduces the mental load of interpreting data that isn't yet grounded in action.
For anyone building a similar tracker, take this as a template for how to think about conditional visibility. Do not let your formulas run wild. Let them wait for your input. The result is a payoff tracker that stays clean, honest, and actionable, exactly what you need when you are managing real money and real deadlines.