Parse error at Char: Using a Formula tool to write a Formula

[bhagen009]

This is my input (there are more rows than this):

Expend Type Name	Expend Type Description	Expend Type Parent Code	Expenditure Category	Expenditure Item Code
Consulting - Adjustment	Consulting - Adjustment	Contract Labor - Consulting	Contract Labor - Consulting	Contract Labor - Consulting

Below is my expected Output - Note: the column [ESTIMATE_CHARGE_TYPE] is not from my inputs - it is a column in my other workflow that I will be converting. 

Formula

ELSEIF [ESTIMATE_CHARGE_TYPE]='Consulting - Adjustment' or [ESTIMATE_CHARGE_TYPE]='Consulting - Adjustment' or [ESTIMATE_CHARGE_TYPE]='Contract Labor - Consulting' or [ESTIMATE_CHARGE_TYPE]='Contract Labor - Consulting' THEN [Expenditure Item Code]

I am trying to write an Alteryx formula (for a different workflow) by using the formula shown below in the screenshot:

Here is the Formula from the screenshot, typed out: 
'ELSEIF [ESTIMATE_CHARGE_TYPE]=' [Expend Type Name]
' or [ESTIMATE_CHARGE_TYPE]=' [Expend Type Description]
' or [ESTIMATE_CHARGE_TYPE]=' [Expend Type Parent Code]
' or [ESTIMATE_CHARGE_TYPE]=' [Expenditure Category]'
THEN [Expenditure Item Code]'

Problem

However, I get the "Parse Error at Char" error. I have tried changing the data types to string, but that did not fix the error. 

I have attached the workflow package file to aid troubleshooting. Please let me know if you can think of something else I should try. 

[RishiK · Accepted solution]

@bhagen009 you are getting this error because the Expression Editor in a Formula tool will validate the expression and your one is not valid requiring a proper IF ELSEIF ELSE structure.

Why do you not want to create the formula in the actual workflow itself as opposed to creating it in a different workflow?