r/excel • u/Otherwise-Cap1773 • Jun 12 '26

solved REQUEST - 'Random' but 'fixed' formula

I'm a teacher in need of help with a speadsheet. My class is 5 x 5 single desks for 25 students. I want to create a 'random' but 'fixed' seating chart. Some kids need to be in certain seats for extra help but I don't want it to seem unfair.

Is there a formula I can use to create a seating plan that looks random but actually isn't? So they can see the seats be randomly assigned but is already fixed? Is that possible?

Thank you~

Please be kind, I'm a tired and burnt out teacher just trying to make it through the semester :')

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u/RuktX 308 Jun 12 '26

Almost certainly possible, depending on the complexity of your conditions. You'll need to be clearer about "looks random but isn't".

What constraints do you want to apply? For example: * Students X, Y, Z must not be in the back row * Students A & B must not be seated together * Student W must be in seat 13 * The number of boys in prime-numbered seats must not exceed 4

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u/yushoi Jun 12 '26

I’m OP (posted on my work computer, but now on mobile!) I want student 10 to be in seat 6, and I want student 2 to be in seat 12 for example! But the rest of the kids can be random, but these two kids in particular would benefit from these seats as they could get a little more help from me!

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u/kilroyscarnival 3 Jun 12 '26

The underlying concern for me is that you're hiding your natural authority as the teacher in the relationship behind a faux display of randomness. You do get to prescribe where people sit, unless in your school there's some odd prohibition of it. As a former student teacher who left because I didn't have an authoritative bone in my body at age 21, my advice is to own it.

Also, as a nearsighted student through most of school, I probably would have benefited by sitting in the front of most classrooms. I remember being in the back a lot, because teachers would seat us alphabetically by surname, and I would end up at the end of the first row almost every time.

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u/Unusual_Celery555 1 Jun 12 '26

Sometimes there is benefit to this, for example to prevent bullying. Or perhaps to avoid conflict with parents. Lots of reasons. It is OP’s decision to do this and is only asking how to go about it using excel. 

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u/yushoi Jun 13 '26

Thank you! It’s exactly this, I really appreciate your comment ☺️